Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Venice, Florida 34285
Saturday, January 17, 2004 19:21 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After takeoff, the flight proceeded to another airport where one touch-and-go landing was performed. The flight then proceeded to the Venice Municipal Airport, where, according to a witness reported she heard hearing an airplane for a total time of between 30 seconds and 1 minute. During the entire time she heard the airplane, the engine sputtered. She observed an airplane flying what was reported to be southbound, then observed the airplane bank to the right, and descend nose low before the sound of the crash. The also reported it was a dark night. The post-accident examination of the airplane revealed the fuel vent line was internally obstructed with an insect nest. Both fuel tank caps were of the vented type, and the air passages were clear; the crossover vent line from the right to left tank was crushed but free of obstructions. The Pilot's Operating Handbook indicates that during the preflight inspection, the fuel tank vent opening is to be checked for stoppage; though the handbook does not indicate to check that the vent line assembly into the fuel tank is free of obstructions. The investigation revealed the left-seat occupant had noted on the day of the accident that the vent line was blocked and informed the owner of the airplane. The owner checked but it did not appear to him that the line was blocked. No subsequent maintenance was performed on the line. The airplane was then operated about 1 hour 13 minutes on two separate flights. The owner was aboard the airplane during one of the flights, which lasted about 20 minutes. The owner did not report any discrepancies during his 20-minute flight. The airplane "Service Manual" indicates that, "Any fuel vent found plugged or restricted must be corrected prior to returning aircraft to service.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The spatial disorientation of the flightcrew during the dark night and their failure to maintain control of the airplane resulting in the uncontrolled descent and in-flight collision with trees and terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/17/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1921 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Venice |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34285 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 270337N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0822616W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSRQ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 31 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17606 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 18 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 28 2005 2:59PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Tampa, Florida |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N63159 |
| NTSB Number | MIA04FA044 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 150M |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15077146 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1600 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 21 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 120.3 |
| Airframe Hours | 6511.8 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Gary A. Myers |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4338 Concert Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Port Charlotte |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33948 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KPGD |
| Departure City | Punta Gorda |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1827 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KPGD |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |