- Date
- February 1, 1987, 13:37 local (18:37 UTC)
- Place
- Venice, FL
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3655MPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870201001809A
- Case key
- 31749
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
Aircraft was seen maneuvering at between 200 and 300 feet in attempts to locate a lost radio controlled model airplane. As the aircraft completed 2 and one half turns it leveled out and began a climb to the north at which time it collided with a 504 foot television tower.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3655M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- PA28161
- Airframe hours
- 3,452
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Venice Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Venice Flying Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · January 19, 1986 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- VNC · Venice, FL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SRQ, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.