ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 357355
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Friday 24 May 1996 |
| Time: | 14:38 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-31-350 |
| Owner/operator: | Cape Smythe Air Service |
| Registration: | N4109E |
| MSN: | 31-8353003 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1983 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 11070 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Point Hope, AK -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | (KPHO) |
| Wainwright, AK | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The scheduled air taxi flight was to depart Point Hope, Alaska, with a destination of Wainwright, Alaska. While the airplane was on the ground at Point Hope, the station agent loaded the nose baggage compartment and closed the nose baggage door. The pilot visually checked the nose baggage door while standing on the wing next to the cockpit door. During the takeoff, at rotation, the nose baggage door came fully open. Baggage and boxes exited the nose baggage compartment and fell through the left engine's propeller. The pilot elected to land on sea ice. Just prior to touching down, the airplane started a slow, uncontrolled roll to the left. The passenger reported that when baggage exited the baggage compartment, a duffel bag hit the propeller; he described the propeller as being destroyed by the encounter. According to the pilot, the company training program included instructions concerning baggage door operation. The pilot was under the impression from informal discussions that the PA-31 airplane would not fly with the nose baggage door in the open position. The company training program did not discuss operations with an open nose baggage door.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight to ensure the nose baggage door was properly latched, and the subsequent opening of the baggage compartment door, which allowed items to collide with the left propeller, resulting in propeller damage and loss of thrust from the left engine.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ANC96FA078
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 16 April 1990 | N4109E | Cape Smythe Air Service | 0 | Deadhorse, AK | |
sub |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Mar-2024 17:01 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation