20090515047189A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-301 · Eagle River, AK · May 15, 2009

Date: May 15, 2009 · 15:45 local
Place: Eagle River, AK
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: K1IC
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N8374T
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC09CA048
Reported as: Piper PA-32-301
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total2,000 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N8374TRegistered now · Piper PA-32-301S/N 32-8106058 · Built 1981 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-301 Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Telephone interview with pilot privacy data omitted about aft cargo door top leaving aircraft in flight see attached pilot narrative. It appears the j hook was not making proper contact with the upper loop and the top of the door popped out into the wind stream and broke off. See attached pictures and part diagrams from Piper.

As the FAA filed it

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ABOUT AFT CARGO DOOR TOP LEAVING AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT SEE ATTACHED PILOT NARRATIVE. IT APPEARS THE J HOOK WAS NOT MAKING PROPER CONTACT WITH THE UPPER LOOP AND THE TOP OF THE DOOR POPPED OUT INTO THE WIND STREAM AND BROKE OFF. SEE ATTACHED PICTURES AND PART DIAGRAMS FROM PIPER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC09CA048Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBirchwood, AKThe failure of maintenance personnel to properly maintain the cargo door latch, resulting in an in-flight opening and separation of the cargo door, and substantial damage to the horizontal stabilator when it was struck by remnants of the cargo door.May 16, 2009 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8374T · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20130428006779ICruise/Level Flight · Ekwok, AKAircraft was en-route from dillingham, AK to anchorage, AK in VFR weather, with the pilot and 1 passenger. The aircraft was operating under 14 CFR 91. A weather report was obtained online and from a pilot that had been operating earlier in the day. Weather at…Apr 28, 2013 · No damage Accident 19960302047529ANome, AK(-16) Pilot continued flight into white-out conditions and hit a snow covered 1150 ft mountain near the top.Mar 2, 1996 · Substantial damage Accident 19921204049499AScud Running · Scammon Bay, AKStruck snow covered ground while circling area to find airport. Tore off nose and left main gear. Blamed whiteout.Dec 4, 1992 · Substantial damage