Piper PA-23-250 and Globe GC-1B accident near Venice, Florida, April 2, 1995
On April 2, 1995 at about 5:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-23-250 (N346PB) and Globe GC-1B (N78055), were involved in the same accident near Venice, Florida (Venice Municipal Airport). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE GLOBE GC-1B (SWIFT) PILOT TO SEE THE PIPER PA-23 IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION, AND THE PIPER PA-23 PILOT'S DELAY IN INITIATING REMEDIAL ACTION TO AVOID THE COLLISION.
FAILURE OF THE GLOBE GC-1B (SWIFT) PILOT TO SEE THE PIPER PA-23 IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION, AND THE PIPER PA-23 PILOT'S DELAY IN INITIATING REMEDIAL ACTION TO AVOID THE COLLISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 1995 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Venice, Florida · Venice Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N346PB · no longer on the register · serial 27-4095
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Globe GC-1B · all GC-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N78055 · registry record · serial 2055
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-23-250 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-23 PILOT LANDED ON RUNWAY 4 AT AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT AND EXITED NORTHBOUND ONTO A TAXIWAY THAT LED TO THE RAMP. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A GLOBE GC-1B (SWIFT) WAS DEPARTING THE RAMP AND PROCEEDING SOUTHBOUND ON THE SAME TAXIWAY TOWARD THE RUNWAY. ALTHOUGH, THE TAXIWAY WAS ORIENTED GENERALLY NORTH-SOUTH, IT ANGLED TO THE SOUTH-SOUTHWEST, WHERE IT CROSSED A CLOSED, EAST-WEST RUNWAY. THE PIPER PILOT SAID HE OBSERVED THE SWIFT TAXIING SOUTHBOUND ON THE TAXIWAY ABOUT 900 FEET NORTH OF THE CLOSED RUNWAY. THE TAXIWAY WAS TOO NARROW TO ACCOMODATE BOTH AIRPLANES. THE PIPER PILOT ASSUMED THE SWIFT PILOT WOULD YIELD AT THE CLOSED RUNWAY, SO HE (THE PIPER PILOT) CONTINUED NORTHBOUND (NORTH-NORTHEAST). THE SWIFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A TAILWHEEL. THE SWIFT PILOT SAID HE WAS USING S-TURNS (TO SEE FORWARD). THE SWIFT PILOT DID NOT YIELD AT THE CLOSED RUNWAY, BUT CONTINUED SOUTHBOUND (SOUTH-SOUTEAST). BY THE TIME THE PIPER PILOT REALIZED THAT THE SWIFT HAD NOT STOPPED, THE TWO AIRPLANES WERE CONVERGING. THE PIPER PILOT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY TURNING TO THE RIGHT; HOWEVER, THE LEFT WINGTIP OF EACH AIRPLANE COLLIDED. THE SWIFT PILOT SAID HE DID NOT SEE THE PIPER PA-23 UNTIL MOMENTS BEFORE THE COLLISION. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 450 FEET SOUTH OF THE CLOSED RUNWAY.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Globe GC-1B final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-23 PILOT LANDED ON RUNWAY 4 AT AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT AND EXITED NORTHBOUND ONTO A TAXIWAY THAT LED TO THE RAMP. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A GLOBE GC-1B (SWIFT) WAS DEPARTING THE RAMP AND PROCEEDING SOUTHBOUND ON THE SAME TAXIWAY TOWARD THE RUNWAY. ALTHOUGH, THE TAXIWAY WAS ORIENTED GENERALLY NORTH-SOUTH, IT ANGLED TO THE SOUTH-SOUTHWEST, WHERE IT CROSSED A CLOSED, EAST-WEST RUNWAY. THE PIPER PILOT SAID HE OBSERVED THE SWIFT TAXIING SOUTHBOUND ON THE TAXIWAY ABOUT 900 FEET NORTH OF THE CLOSED RUNWAY. THE TAXIWAY WAS TOO NARROW TO ACCOMODATE BOTH AIRPLANES. THE PIPER PILOT ASSUMED THE SWIFT PILOT WOULD YIELD AT THE CLOSED RUNWAY, SO HE (THE PIPER PILOT) CONTINUED NORTHBOUND (NORTH-NORTHEAST). THE SWIFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A TAILWHEEL. THE SWIFT PILOT SAID HE WAS USING S-TURNS (TO SEE FORWARD). THE SWIFT PILOT DID NOT YIELD AT THE CLOSED RUNWAY, BUT CONTINUED SOUTHBOUND (SOUTH-SOUTEAST). BY THE TIME THE PIPER PILOT REALIZED THAT THE SWIFT HAD NOT STOPPED, THE TWO AIRPLANES WERE CONVERGING. THE PIPER PILOT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY TURNING TO THE RIGHT; HOWEVER, THE LEFT WINGTIP OF EACH AIRPLANE COLLIDED. THE SWIFT PILOT SAID HE DID NOT SEE THE PIPER PA-23 UNTIL MOMENTS BEFORE THE COLLISION. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 450 FEET SOUTH OF THE CLOSED RUNWAY.
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 for the Piper PA-23-250 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,648 hours in all; 922 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3,993 as pilot in command; 3,491 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,331 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1995; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APF Naples FL at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
The factual record for the Globe GC-1B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 843 hours in all; 801 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 843 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,089 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 1,710 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: FMY Fort Myers FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.