Venice Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Venice, Florida 34285
Tuesady, March 28, 1995 8:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS BRIEFED ABOUT 2 HOURS BEFORE TAKEOFF THAT FOG EXISTED NEAR HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT AND TO CALL BACK FOR A WEATHER UPDATE; HE DID NOT. THE PILOT TOLD THE SURVIVORS BEFORE TAKEOFF 'WE'RE A LITTLE OVER WEIGHT, I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKEOFF.' AFTER TAKEOFF THE FLIGHT WAS OBSERVED TO FLY INTO THE FOG SEVERAL TIMES AND THE AIRPLANE FLEW OVER THE AIRPORT 3 TIMES. AFTER THE THIRD PASS THE PILOT TOLD THE SURVIVORS HE WAS GOING TO LAND ON THE NEXT ATTEMPT. THE FLIGHT AGAIN ENTERED THE FOG FOR A LONGER DURATION THIS TIME AND THE SURVIVORS STATED THAT THEY AGAIN HEARD THE STALL WARNING HORN. THE PILOT APPLIED POWER BUT THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED NOSE AND RIGHT WING LOW. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE WATER ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS AFTER THE STALL WARNING HORN WAS HEARD. WITNESSES AND THE SURVIVORS STATED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL THE ENTIRE FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED AND EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE EXPIRED AFTER DECEMBER 31, 1990, AND HE WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INTENTIONAL VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL, SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AND ALTITUDE INADEQUATE FOR RECOVERY FOLLOWING THE IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/28/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 820
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City VENICE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34285
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VENICE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VNC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 247
Airport Elevation 19
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 821 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 67
Weather Observation Facility ID VNC
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 805
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 28 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 914
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2196E
NTSB Number MIA95FA094
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17271184
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 16 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 1943
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHNSON, R. VERLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 657 LOS ALTOS
Aircraft Owner City NORTH PORT
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34287
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 805
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PGD
Destination City PUNTA GORDA
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --