# Accident 19970727019809A: Piper PA24260, Burnsville, NC, July 27, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 27, 1997, 14:30 local time
- Place: Burnsville, NC
- Airport: Mountain Aire Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.9100° N, 82.2904° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9100&lon=-82.2904&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9396P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9396P) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-24-260 (registry code 7102406, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA24260
- Reported engine: LYC IO540N1A5
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,190 total, 125 in this make and model, 29 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97LA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA218) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970727019809A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

DOOR OPENED ON CLIMBOUT. BECAME DISTRUBED BELEIVING EMERGENCY. LANDED SHORT. SHEARED GEAR. SLID INTO TREE. (.4)BEFORE TAKEOFF THE PILOT FAILED TO VERIFY THAT THE MAIN CABIN DOOR WAS CLOSED AND LATCHED.  AFTER TAKEOFF THE DOOR OPENED AND HE MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO LAND IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THAN FOR TAKEOFF.  HE STATED THAT HE BECAME DISTRACTED DUE TO THE PERCEIVED EMERGENCY AND LANDED ABOUT 6 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY ON UPSLOPING TERRAIN.  THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR THEN SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE WHICH BOUNCED ONTO THEN OFF THE RUNWAY INTO A 25-FOOT DEEP RAVINE WHERE THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST UPRIGHT.               (-23)PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS TOOK OFF AND DOOR BECAME AJAR AT SOME POINT AFTER VR. PILOT MANEUVERED AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING ON TAKE OFF RUNWAY.  HE BECAME DISTRACTED WITH PERCEIVED EMERGENCY.  HE LANDED SHORT OF RUNWAY SHEARING LEFT MAIN GEAR OFF.  AIRCRAFT SLID TO STOP AGAINST TREE.  NO FIRE MINOR INJURIES DUE TO EXITING OF AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA97LA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA218), Jul 27, 1997: Piper PA-24-260 (N9396P), Burnsville, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to use the checklist to confirm that the main cabin door was closed and locked before takeoff. Also, failure of the pilot to attain the proper touchdown point during the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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