Cessna 172N accident near Venice, Florida, March 28, 1995
On March 28, 1995 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N2196E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Venice, Florida (Venice 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
INTENTIONAL VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL, SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AND ALTITUDE INADEQUATE FOR RECOVERY FOLLOWING THE IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1995 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Venice, Florida · Venice 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
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N2196E · no longer on the register · serial 17271184
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS BRIEFED ABOUT 2 HOURS BEFORE TAKEOFF THAT FOG EXISTED NEAR HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT AND TO CALL BACK FOR A WEATHER UPDATE; HE DID NOT. THE PILOT TOLD THE SURVIVORS BEFORE TAKEOFF 'WE'RE A LITTLE OVER WEIGHT, I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKEOFF.' AFTER TAKEOFF THE FLIGHT WAS OBSERVED TO FLY INTO THE FOG SEVERAL TIMES AND THE AIRPLANE FLEW OVER THE AIRPORT 3 TIMES. AFTER THE THIRD PASS THE PILOT TOLD THE SURVIVORS HE WAS GOING TO LAND ON THE NEXT ATTEMPT. THE FLIGHT AGAIN ENTERED THE FOG FOR A LONGER DURATION THIS TIME AND THE SURVIVORS STATED THAT THEY AGAIN HEARD THE STALL WARNING HORN. THE PILOT APPLIED POWER BUT THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED NOSE AND RIGHT WING LOW. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE WATER ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS AFTER THE STALL WARNING HORN WAS HEARD. WITNESSES AND THE SURVIVORS STATED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL THE ENTIRE FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED AND EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE EXPIRED AFTER DECEMBER 31, 1990, AND HE WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
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
- Flight time: 490 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,943 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 16, 1994; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PGD Punta Gorda FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:21 pm from VNC, 1 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.