Cessna 172F accident near Venice, Florida, October 22, 1996
On October 22, 1996 at about 1:38 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N5130F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Venice, Florida (Venice Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadequate maintenance servicing of the airplane during an oil change by the owner/pilot for his failure to secure the oil temperature probe securing nut. Also, inadequate maintenance of the airplane by the owner/pilot for his failure to operate the engine with the engine cowling removed following the oil change to check for oil leaks. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1996 · about 1:38 pm local time
- Place
- Venice, Florida · Venice Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5130F · registry record · serial 17252881
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner changed the engine oil and cleaned the oil screen 1 week before the accident but he did not perform an engine run-up after to check for oil leaks. The morning of the accident before takeoff he taxied the airplane in a circuit, stopped and checked for oil leaks but did not observe an oil stain on the ground in front of his hangar. He taxied to the runway, performed an engine run-up, then performed a 360-degree clearing turn before taking off. After takeoff while climbing through 1,200 feet, the oil pressure and engine rpm's began dropping. He initiated a turn to return to the airport and the engine quit. He executed a forced landing onto the roof of a supermarket. Examination of the engine compartment revealed that the oil temperature probe securing nut was loose. Additionally, only residual oil remained in the engine crankcase. Examination of the taxi route and the engine run-up area revealed oil stains on the ground. Oil was also observed externally on the bottom of the fuselage from the engine compartment to the tail.
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: 240 hours in all; 229 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 114 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,340 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1996; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNC at 1:33 pm
- Destination: PGD Punta Gorda FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from VNC, 1 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.
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.