The pilot performed a preflight inspection at the airport in Sanford, Florida, of the Sequoia F.8L Falco before he initiated the start-up and taxi without any anomalies noted.
During the initial climb after takeoff, about 100 feet 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.
He continued in the traffic pattern, but slowed the airplane in hopes that the access cover would not detach.
He 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 hit a taxiway and came to rest on the parallel runway, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing.
The pilot, who sustained minor injuries in the crash, told investigators 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.”
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control after an engine access cover opened during the initial climb.
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This September 2023 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
A reattack on William Dubois’ September 4 article “Human Factors: It’s not really a checklist”….????
The US Air Force DRILLED into our heads: “maintain aircraft control, analyze the situation take appropriate action.” We had to recite that over and over, and it’s helpful, when stuff happens—I can chant that, hopefully, to myself. First things first, etc. But people make mistakes and crash, even “good” pilots, which the Germans really, really were in WWII. I JUST heard about this German Luftwaffe pilot. Lieutenant Reinicke. Read about HIS little error, running out of fuel, etc.