- Date
- May 1, 1994, 15:35 local (19:35 UTC)
- Place
- Sanford, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N323ETTaylor Osprey
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 18, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940501009639A
- Case key
- 37537
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot in command to use the checklist before takeoff. The engine failed due to the fuel selector being in the off position. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
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.
Analysis
The pilot stated the engine lost power on takeoff and he turned back to the airport but could not make it. He crashed into a ditch. Examination of the cockpit revealed the fuel selector was in the off position.
Factual narrative
On May 1, 1994, about 1535 eastern daylight time, N323ET, a homebuilt Osprey airplane crashed at Sanford Airport, Sanford, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot received serious injuries. The flight had originated about 30 minutes earlier.
The pilot experienced an engine failure on takeoff and turned to return to the airport. The airplane crashed into a ditch, and broke in half. Examination of the cockpit after the accident by FAA personnel revealed the fuel selector was in the off position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N323ET
- Reported as
- Taylor Osprey
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1201
- Airframe hours
- 35
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1CC, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Taylor, William E.
- Registered owner
- Taylor, William E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 20, 1994 · 10 hours before
- Airport
- SFB · Sanford, runway 9R, 3,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 68
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 30 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SFB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.