20230405006069A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32R-300 · Venice, FL · April 5, 2023

Date: April 5, 2023 · 21:38 local
Place: Venice, FL
Airport: Venice Municipal
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N635BD
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA23FA181
Reported as: Piper PA-32R-300
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 4
Other injuries: 0

N635BDRegistered now · Piper PA-32R-300S/N 32R-7680233 · Built 1976 Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-300 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On April 05, 2023, at 2137 EDT, a Piper PA-32R-300, departed Venice airport runway 23 under night visual flight rules, with 4 people on board the airplane. The aircraft took of straight ahead into a dark horizon then began a right turn and a rapid descent into gulf of Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no VFR flight plan was filed. The aircraft had substantial damage do to impacting the water at a high rate of speed. The pilot and 3 passengers on board sustained fatal injuries.

As the FAA filed it

ON APRIL 05, 2023, AT 2137 EDT, A PIPER PA-32R-300, DEPARTED VENICE AIRPORT RUNWAY 23 UNDER NIGHT VISUAL FLIGHT RULES, WITH 4 PEOPLE ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OF STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO A DARK HORIZON THEN BEGAN A RIGHT TURN AND A RAPID DESCENT INTO GULF OF MEXICO. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DO TO IMPACTING THE WATER AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE PILOT AND 3 PASSENGERS ON BOARD SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA23FA181Accident · 4 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportVenice, FLThe pilot’s decision to initiate a visual flight rules flight into dark night conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation during the initial climb and subsequent steep banking descent into water.Apr 6, 2023 · Destroyed

Other reports on N635BD · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20190716011909ILanding: Rollout · Olive Branch, MSThe pilot was practicing take-offs and langings on runway 18 at olv. On the 4th landing and during the rollout, the nosegear collapsed stiking the propeller tips on the pavement and stopping the engine. The pilot and one passenger exited the aircraft without…Jul 16, 2019 · Minor damage