Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 32R-300 near Houston, TX — 2016-07-08

Final reportCEN16FA261
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Date
2016-07-08
Location
Houston, TX, USA
Airport
IWS
Aircraft
PIPER PA 32R-300
Registration
N32KK
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
4
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed after becoming distracted by the open baggage door while operating in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to ensure that the forward baggage compartment door was closed, latched, and properly secured during his preflight inspection.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to ensure that the forward baggage compartment door was closed, latched, and properly secured during his preflight inspection.

NTSB narrative

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.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff due to open baggage door before liftoff.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 17 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents17

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