Beech 36 accident near Captiva Island, Florida, February 28, 2003
On February 28, 2003 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Beech 36, registered N41VK, was destroyed in an accident near Captiva Island, Florida (North Captiva Air Inc. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his ensuing failure to maintain altitude/clearance resulting in an in-flight collision with the ocean. A factor was the fog.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2003 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Captiva Island, Florida · North Captiva Air Inc. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 36 · all 36s on the register
- Registration
- N41VK · registry record · serial E-146
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane, with an instrument rated private pilot at the controls, departed on a 19-nautical-mile flight from an island to the mainland across the ocean waters of a sound. A witness, who was an instrument rated private pilot, observed the airplane depart. The witness stated that the airplane "was in IMC [instrument meteorological conditions] about 100 feet MSL as he departed over the Gulf of Mexico." The witness further stated that "there was heavy fog everywhere." He listened to the sound of the airplane's engine "for a minute or two after departure to be sure there were no unusual sounds." A fisherman on the water in the area of the accident site, did not hear or see the accident, but did report that about the time of the accident, fog rolled in over the sound, reducing visibility to 0 feet for about 15 minutes. The visibility then increased to 50 feet. Radar tracked the flight for 1 minute and 39 seconds. The first radar hit showed the airplane about 1 nautical mile southeast of the departure airport at 400 feet msl. For the next 1 minute and 15 seconds, the airplane maintained an east-northeast heading, initially climbing to 700 feet and then descending to 500 feet. The airplane then began to turn left. The airplane had turned approximately 100 degrees and was passing through a northerly heading when the last radar hit was recorded. The last recorded radar hit showed the airplane at 500 feet about 4 nautical miles northeast of the departure airport. The on course heading from the departure airport to the destination was approximately due east. There were no radio communications from the airplane to any air traffic control facility. The pilot had intended to pick up some passengers at the destination airport, and when he did not arrive, concerned family members notified authorities. Search and rescue efforts were started, but were called off due to fog and darkness. The next morning, the airplane wreckage was located about 2 miles southeast of the departure airport in 5 feet of water. Examination of the wreckage revealed evidence indicating the airplane impacted the water in a left wing low and nose low attitude. No evidence of any pre-impact mechanical discrepancies with the airframe or engine was found that would have prevented normal operation.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,240 hours in all; 14 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 9, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,767 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FL90 Captiva Island FL at 8:35 pm
- Destination: FMY Fort Myers FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KRSW, 25 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N41VK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.