Sirocco Flying Club MJ 5 accident near Sanford, Florida, December 31, 1996
On December 31, 1996 at about 4:13 pm local time, a Sirocco Flying Club MJ 5, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N949EA, was destroyed in an accident near Sanford, Florida (Central Florida Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering in the traffic pattern (crosswind) after takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, uncontrolled descent, and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 31, 1996 · about 4:13 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Florida · Central Florida Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sirocco Flying Club MJ 5, amateur-built
- Registration
- N949EA · no longer on the register · serial 101
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, at about the time the pilot was turning crosswind, he transmitted on tower frequency, 'I lost it, I'm coming in.' The airplane was observed to pitch nose down and impact the ground. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the flight controls. According to tower personnel, in the past [previous flight(s)], the pilot had advised the controller of an engine overheating problem, but no determination was made as to the reason for the previously reported engine overheating condition.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ford V6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFB at 9:11 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9R, 3,578 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:13 pm from SFB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.