# Accident 20080105009679A: Piper PA31350, Kodiak, AK, January 5, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 5, 2008, 13:45 local time
- Place: Kodiak, AK
- Airport: Kodiak
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: S4EA
- Location: 57.7506° N, 152.4686° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=57.7506&lon=-152.4686&mi=10
- Aircraft: N509FN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N509FN-2018-01-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31350
- Reported engine: LYC TIO540J2BD
- People aboard: 6
- Fatal injuries: 6
- Pilot flight hours: 9,320 total, 361 in this make and model, 168 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC08MA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08MA038) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080105009679A

## Narrative

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

(-23) TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 36 THE AIRCRAFT'S FRONT BAGGAGE DOOR CAME PARTIALLY OPEN AT LIFT OFF OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER. ACCORDING TO THE SURVIVOR SITTING IN THE #6 SEAT, AS THE PILOT INITIALED A RIGHT TURN, THE BAGGAGE DOOR WENT TO THE FULL OPEN POSITION AND THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY ROLLED OR TUCKED SHARPLY, CRASHING INTO THE WATER. (-23 AMENDMENT) NOTE: THE POSSIBILITY THE PILOT FAILED IN HIS ATTEMPT TO SECURE THE BAGGAGE DOOR CORRECTLY IS OBVIOUS. HOWEVER THE QUESTION IS, "WERE THERE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS FAILURE, WHEN SECURING THIE PARTICULAR TYPE BAGGAGE DOOR?" SEE ITEM #4, FAA NINE RESPONSIBILITIES.  CONCLUSION: THE PILOT APPARENTLY FAILED TO PROPERLY SECURE THE FORWARD BAGGAGE DOOR, WHICH ALLOWED IT TO OPEN DURING TAKEOFF.  ACCORDING TO 14 CFR 91.3 (A) THE PILOT IN COMMAND IS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR, AND IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY AS TO, THE OPERATION OF THAT AIRCRAFT.  DURING THE COURSE OF THIS INVESTIGATION NUMEROUS ANOMALIES WERE UNCOVERED AND CORRECTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDER BY THE FAA AND THE MANUFACTURE.

## 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 ANC08MA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08MA038), Jan 5, 2008: Piper PA-31-350 (N509FN), Kodiak, AK, substantial damage, 6 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of company maintenance personnel to ensure that the airplane's nose baggage door latching mechanism was properly configured and maintained, resulting in an inadvertent opening of the nose…

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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