What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft crashed into river. Recused attempted. (.4)shortly after takeoff in gusty winds, the forward baggage door opened. The pilot attempted to return to the airport when the airplane impacted trees and descended into the river. The passengers stated the airplane was at a low altitude, the wings were rocking left and right, and a buzzer was sounding just before the accident. One passenger stated to his knowledge the baggage door was latched, but not locked prior to takeoff. Inspection of the baggage door latch after the accident showed it was in the latched position. No failure of the latch was noted which would have resulted in it opening during the flight. The takeoff was performed on runway 16 and the winds were from 210 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 21 knots.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO RIVER. RECUSED ATTEMPTED. (.4)SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF IN GUSTY WINDS, THE FORWARD BAGGAGE DOOR OPENED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT WHEN THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND DESCENDED INTO THE RIVER. THE PASSENGERS STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS AT A LOW ALTITUDE, THE WINGS WERE ROCKING LEFT AND RIGHT, AND A BUZZER WAS SOUNDING JUST BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ONE PASSENGER STATED TO HIS KNOWLEDGE THE BAGGAGE DOOR WAS LATCHED, BUT NOT LOCKED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. INSPECTION OF THE BAGGAGE DOOR LATCH AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHOWED IT WAS IN THE LATCHED POSITION. NO FAILURE OF THE LATCH WAS NOTED WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN IT OPENING DURING THE FLIGHT. THE TAKEOFF WAS PERFORMED ON RUNWAY 16 AND THE WINDS WERE FROM 210 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 21 KNOTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.