Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, September 9, 1993                   TAG: 9309090194
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: MOUNTAIN LAKE                                LENGTH: Short

MEN INJURED IN CRASH SAID TO BE STABLE

William Rosbe, 46, of Richmond was the pilot of a Cessna Skyhawk II that crashed on a Giles County mountain less than a mile from the resort.

Rosbe and Richard Langford, 46, of Blacksburg, are in regular rooms at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Langford's son, Michael Langford, 12, was released from the hospital earlier this week, a nursing spokeswoman said.

The three were trapped in the plane for nearly four hours while rescue workers tried to locate the wreckage.

Lucy Rosbe, 48, the pilot's wife, was dead when the rescue workers arrived, according to state police.

Giles County Rescue Squad Capt. Steve Davis said a man out jogging reported hearing the crash around 2 p.m.

The accident happened about 100 yards from Virginia 613, but the area was so heavily wooded that it was almost 6 p.m. before a state police helicopter picked up an emergency signal from the aircraft. State police said the plane took off from the Virginia Tech airport.

Troopers said the plane had been reported flying low Saturday morning, apparently just taking a pleasure flight around the area.

The pilot told police the plane was headed toward Mountain Lake for sightseeing.

When Rosbe realized he was flying too low to clear the mountain, he veered left to make a 180-degree turn back down Bald Knob, but the plane lost altitude and struck the trees.