Amateur-built COZY MK IV accident near Wauchula, Florida, January 1, 1995
On January 1, 1995 at about 5:52 pm local time, a amateur-built COZY MK IV, registered N5037, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wauchula, Florida (Wauchula Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DISTANCE VS. ALTITUDE MISJUDGED BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH. ADDITIONALLY, ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE NOT MAINTAINED WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH RESULTING IN THE COLLISION WITH AN UNMARKED STATIC POWER LINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 1995 · about 5:52 pm local time
- Place
- Wauchula, Florida · Wauchula Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built COZY MK IV
- Registration
- N5037 · no longer on the register · serial MK0041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ADVISED ON THE COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY THAT THE FLIGHT WAS ON A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR THE RUNWAY, CLOSE IN. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO TURN LEFT BASE AND FINAL AND WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH AN UNMARKED STATIC POWER LINE. THE AIRPLANE THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND NOSE AND RIGHT WING LOW AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRPLANE, STARTED, AND FOUND TO OPERATE NORMALLY. EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THE POWER LINE WAS NOT REQUIRED TO BE MARKED.
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: 2,557 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 104 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 8, 1994; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AVO Avon Park FL at 5:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from LAL, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.