What happened
The aircraft was operating on a cross-country flight originating from Buffalo, New York, with a destination of New Port Richey, Florida. The pilot made an intermediate stop in Painesville, Ohio, before continuing toward Greensboro, North Carolina. During the en route portion of the trip, the pilot decided to divert and land at Roanoke, Virginia, because continuing to the original destination would have resulted in critically low fuel reserves.
Upon arrival at Roanoke, the pilot initiated a Localizer Directional Aid (LDA) approach to Runway 05. Weather conditions were reported with a broken ceiling at 200 feet and an overcast layer at 400 feet. Visibility was two miles in light rain and fog. The minimums for this precision approach required a 400-foot ceiling and one mile of visibility.
At 11:52:37, the pilot began a missed approach procedure. Shortly thereafter, air traffic control advised the pilot that he was heading toward high terrain and provided radar vectors to assist with navigation. A short time later, the aircraft descended rapidly from 2,800 feet to 1,800 feet, at which point radar contact was lost. A witness observed the aircraft maneuvering between 75 and 100 feet above ground level just before it impacted a tree and a television transmission line.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure of any component that would have hindered normal operation. An estimation of fuel consumption indicated that approximately 23 gallons of fuel would have remained in the tanks at the time of the accident.
Findings
The pilot was flying N98SW, a Cessna 172N. The accident resulted in 1 fatal injury to the pilot. Contributing factors included the poor weather conditions, specifically low ceilings and reduced visibility, which likely led to spatial disorientation or loss of terrain awareness during the missed approach maneuver.
Safety message
Pilots must ensure adequate fuel reserves for diversions and alternate airports, especially when operating in marginal weather conditions. Strict adherence to instrument flight rules and reliance on available navigation aids are critical when flying in low visibility.