Dorr Dan W SEQUOIA F.8L FALCO N708WC

Summary

On 26 September 2023 at about 19:51 local time, a Dorr Dan W SEQUOIA F.8L FALCO registered N708WC was involved in an accident near Sanford, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 September 2023 at 19:51

Classification

Accident

Location

Sanford, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Orlando Sanford Intl (SFB)

Coordinates

28.7817, -81.2346

Aircraft

Dorr Dan W SEQUOIA F.8L FALCO

Registration

N708WC

Category

Airplane

Year built

2003

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA379

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control after an engine access cover opened during the initial climb.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot performed a preflight inspection before he initiated the startup and taxi without any anomalies noted. During the initial climb after takeoff, about 100 ft above ground level over the runway, an engine compartment access cover opened. The pilot called the air traffic control tower and was cleared to land on a parallel runway. The pilot continued in the traffic pattern, but slowed the airplane in hopes that the access cover would not detach. The pilot became focused on the open cover and let the airspeed decrease, which resulted in a buffet, the left wing dropping, and the airplane “[falling] out of the sky.” The airplane subsequently impacted a taxiway and came to rest on the parallel runway, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also stated that he, “…focused way too much on the open engine cover and way too little on flying the airplane… The result was classic stall/spin scenario too close to the ground.”

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.