Undetermined · NTSB CEN16FA261
PIPER PA 32R-300 — Houston, TX
| Date | July 8, 2016 |
| Location | Houston, TX |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA 32R-300 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Prior to flight Preflight or dispatch event |
| Pilot age | 41 |
| Pilot total time | 1,350 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | 72 hrs |
| Fatalities | 4 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Task monitoring/vigilance-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Angle of attack-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Inspection-Preflight inspection-Pilot - F
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Forgotten action/omission-Pilot - F
- Aircraft-Aircraft structures-Doors-Cargo/baggage doors-Not inspected - F
What happened
The private pilot was departing on a cross-country flight in the airplane when the forward baggage compartment door opened shortly before the airplane rotated for liftoff near midfield. The pilot continued the takeoff on runway heading to about 100 ft above ground level before entering a left turn. The airplane continued to turn left until it was on a downwind heading, and then it entered an aerodynamic stall/spin and descended nose-down into terrain. Flight track data revealed that the airplane's ground speed decreased from 84 knots to 1 knot during the final 4 seconds of the flight, consistent with the airplane entering an aerodynamic stall/spin. None of the witnesses reported hearing any engine anomalies during the accident flight.
The postaccident investigation determined that the forward baggage compartment door separated during the airplane's impact with terrain. The door latch mechanism was found unlatched, and its corresponding key-lock assembly was unlocked. No anomalies were found with the forward baggage door latch mechanism, key-lock, or door frame latch catch/receptacle that would have precluded the door from being properly secured before the flight. Based on the witness descriptions and the physical evidence, it is likely that the pilot failed to ensure that the forward baggage compartment door was closed, latched, and properly secured during his preflight inspection. The pilot likely became distracted by the open baggage door and, as a result, did not maintain adequate airspeed while on the downwind leg, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude.