The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute (ASI) released a new video in its Early Analysis series providing an initial examination of a recent accident.
On April 5, 2023, a Piper PA-32R-300 Cherokee Lance descended into the Gulf of Mexico during the initial climb after takeoff from Runway 23 at Venice Municipal Airport (KVNC) in Venice, Florida. Sadly, all four people on board the airplane perished in the accident.
Earlier that day, the Piper Lance had flown from Albert Whitted Airport (KSPG) in St. Petersburg, Florida, to Venice Municipal Airport. The accident occurred during the return flight at night to St. Petersburg. The weather was VFR with 10 miles visibility, calm winds, and a clear sky.
“In Early Analysis: Black Hole Departure-Venice, Florida, the AOPA Air Safety Institute wants to help pilots understand what is known about the accident as we look at factors that are likely to be a subject of the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board,” said AOPA’s ASI Senior Vice President Richard McSpadden.
“The NTSB issued a preliminary report that offers us a chance to take a look at what are called ‘black hole’ departures. According to the report, the airplane took off over dark water with no discernable horizon, then began a shallow climb and a right turn.”
“It seems possible that this is a classic spatial disorientation accident due to somatogravic illusion, triggered by accelerating in situations without good visual references,” McSpadden concluded.
You can see all the other Early Analysis videos here.
Please look up the definition of visual acuity. You are using the term improperly.
Night flying over any terrain is always a “Fly instruments and simultaneously visual on departure to at least until there are sufficient lights on the ground or to several thousand feet.
Another situation is climbing through a cloud deck and coming out on top of a cloud deck that has a beautiful solid top – that is slanted, not level. That experience creates a desire to treat the top as level. “
A similar event occurred on my night departure at KRAS runway 12, which faces the same body of water (The Gulf of Mexico). Although instrument rated and current, the black hole departure took me by surprise. Fortunately, I went straight on instruments and climbed to 2K before turning back towards the city lights of Port Aransas and Rockport, Texas. Whew! I was so excited and relieved to see the horizon again.
Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared!
J Carpenter