Cessna 152 accident near Venice, Florida, March 3, 2015
On March 3, 2015 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna 152, registered N498TC, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Venice, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident testing of the engine revealed no anomalies.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2015 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Venice, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, built 1979 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N498TC · no longer on the register · serial 15283390
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he and the student pilot departed on a local training flight. After completing maneuvers at 2,000 ft, the flight instructor initiated a simulated engine failure and proceeded to demonstrate the forced landing procedure to the student. He selected a field as the forced landing location and applied carburetor heat. After turning onto final approach for the field at an altitude of about 500 ft, the flight instructor discontinued the simulation by turning off the carburetor heat and applying engine power to initiate a climb. The flight instructor stated that the engine then "sputtered and produced no power," and he subsequently conducted a forced landing to the field. During postaccident examination of the airplane, no fuel was observed in either of the two wing fuel tanks; however, the fuel quantity at the time of the accident could not be determined because a fuel line was damaged during impact, and fuel might have leaked out postaccident. An auxiliary fuel supply was plumbed into the fuel system, and the engine started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously with no anomalies observed.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Simulated/training event during maneuvering
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,244 hours in all; 352 in this make and model; 115 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 5,720 as pilot in command; 3,867 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 10, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 10 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 13, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,676 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 10,359 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNC Venice FL at 3:30 pm
- Destination: VNC Venice FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KVNC, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.