Piper PA-28-161 accident near Venice, Florida, June 14, 2001
On June 14, 2001 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N554HA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Venice, Florida (Venice Municipal airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an on ground fire that started in the engine due to an excessive fuel flow causing the engine to flood. A factor in this accident was the pilot-in-command did not follow all the emergency procedures for an engine fire during start.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2001 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Venice, Florida · Venice Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N554HA · no longer on the register · serial 7715134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During taxi after landing the airplane's engine stalled. The pilot's first attempt to restart was unsuccessful. He cleared the engine by attempting to restart with full throttle and the mixture in idle cutoff. On his second start attempt the engine again failed to start, and upon seeing smoke, he ceased cranking the engine, and exited the airplane… Most of the fire damage was to the left side of the engine compartment. The airplane had a 2-year history of intermittent stalling problems after landing. The carburetor had been replaced on four occasions, including the day of the fire. The fuel and ignition systems had been checked repeatedly during troubleshooting and various repairs accomplished to include spark replacement, internal magneto timing, and fuel filter cleaning.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,940 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 1,840 as pilot in command; 1,340 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,528 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 26, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: VNC Venice FL at 1:30 pm
- Destination: Venice FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.