Former Checker's CEO, wife killed in Rockbridge County plane crash

At least one killed in Rockbridge County plane crash - July 5, 2009

Click here to read more about Dorsch (From our Media General newspaper the Tampa Tribune)

8:00 p.m.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration expect to be at the crash site for the most of the week.
They're looking for important circuit boards on the plane which might contain recorded information on what was going on at the time of the crash.
The plane had no "black box," or flight data recorder. The investigator said it was not required to have such a device.
The plane hit the ground with such velocity, it left a crater in the ground five feet deep.
The investigator said pieces of the plane range from about the size of a computer chip to the size of a garbage can.

The plane's disintregation on impact is also making it difficult to identify the bodies.
A doctor from the Virginia State Medical Examiner's office was on site for most of the day.
A Dorsch family spokesperson confirmed Dan and Cyndie Dorsch were on board, with Dan being the pilot, but did not know if anyone else was on board the plane.
An NTSB investigator said Dorsch filed a flight plan stating he would have four people on board. It was unclear if that meant four passengers, or if he was counting himself among the four.
The investigator said "family members" told the NTSB up to five people might have been on board.

10 On Your Side did some checking on Dan Dorsch's pilot information and found he had no previous citations, violations, or crashes.
He had a valid private pilot's license with the FAA.
He was also licensed to fly both single and multi-engine aircraft.
Dorsch had also passed all necessary tests in order to be certified to fly by instruments only, meaning he was capable enough to fly in zero visibility and at night.

5:00 p.m.

Federal investigators say the medical examiner is having a difficult time identifying the remains, because of the debris field. Four passengers were listed on the plane's flight plan.

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11:57 a.m.

The NTSB is scheduled to hold a news conference at 4:00 p.m. to update the crash investigation.

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11:45 a.m.

A statement from the Dorsch family claims that Daniel's wife Cyndie also died in the plane crash.

Here is the statement:

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Mr. Daniel Joseph Dorsch and his wife, Cyndie Dimalanta Dorsch, who passed away in a plane crash yesterday. Mr. Dorsch was a strong leader, a respected entrepreneur, and a successful CEO who cared deeply about his employees and his businesses. He and Cyndie Dorsch are survived by their three sons: Jordan, Elliott, and Nicholas. They will be greatly missed.

The family asks that any letters of condolence be sent to Fun Bike Center Motorsports, 1845 E. Memorial Blvd., Lakeland, FL 33801.

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10:55 a.m.

Family members of Daniel Dorsch tell WSLS that he was the pilot of the plane that crashed in Rockbridge County on Sunday morning.

Dorsch is the former CEO of Checkers, fast food restaurant, and owns a motorcycle dealership and several Papa John's pizza franchises in the Tampa, Florida area.

10:20 a.m.

From Scott Leamon, in the field
WSLS Reporter
sleamon@wsls.com

Jim Peters of the FAA tells WSLS that the single engine plane took off at 8:30 a.m. Sunday from Teteboro, New Jersey en route to Tampa, Florida.

At around 10:30 a.m. while over Virginia, the plane contacted a tower in Washington D.C. reporting that it had "lost a panel covering".

The dispatch diverted the plane to make a landing at Lynchburg Regional Airport.

At 10:38 a.m. the plane was lost on radar.