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Cargo/baggage doors

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NTSB finding · Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Doors

All 9 cases7 in the probable cause
Cases
9
In the probable cause
7 (78%)
Fatal cases
5
NTSB code
01035230

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008. Earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes, so they aren’t counted here.

When and where

In green, cases where NTSB made it part of the probable cause; in gray, a factor or other finding. Findings are coded with the final report, often a year or more after the event, so the latest years are incomplete.

Cases per year

2008In the probable causeFactor only2026

Where

Open the map
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT year(c.\"eventDate\") AS year, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE f.\"inProbableCause\") AS in_probable_cause
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c.\"mKey\" = f.case_mkey
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '01035230') AND c.\"eventDate\" >= DATE '2000-01-01'
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY 1"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

In the same cases

Defining events
Aircraft models

Aircraft matched to the registry by N-number and date.

Other findings
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "WITH matched AS (SELECT DISTINCT case_mkey, aircrafts_position FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' WHERE starts_with(\"findingCode\", '01035230'))
  SELECT * FROM (
  SELECT 'Defining event' AS kind, e.\"tier2Number\" AS code, max(e.\"eventTier2Name\") AS name, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e ON e.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = f.aircrafts_position AND e.\"isDefiningEvent\"
  WHERE e.\"tier2Number\" <> ''
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Aircraft model', a.aircraft_model_code, any_value(concat_ws(' ', m.manufacturer, m.model)), count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey)
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND a.position = f.aircrafts_position
  LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/faa_aircraft_model.parquet' m ON m.code = a.aircraft_model_code
  WHERE a.aircraft_model_code IS NOT NULL
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Other finding', left(g.\"findingCode\", 8), max(g.\"tier4Name\"), count(DISTINCT g.case_mkey)
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' g
  WHERE g.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM matched) AND NOT starts_with(g.\"findingCode\", '01035230') AND g.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY ALL
  )
  QUALIFY row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY kind ORDER BY cases DESC) <= 10
  ORDER BY kind, cases DESC"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

Newest cases · 9

NTSB ERA25FA201Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA32RT · Yulee, FLThe pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in a stall/spin at an altitude too low for recovery. Contributing to the accident was the opening of the nose baggage door and subsequent distraction of the pilot…May 10, 2025 · N30689 · DestroyedNTSB ERA22FA095Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportMooney M20J · Jacksonville, FLThe pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin. Contributing was the pilot’s likely distraction due to the opening of the baggage door.Dec 26, 2021 · N3707H · Substantial damageNTSB ERA21LA371Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportMooney M20K · New Shoreham, RIThe pilot’s improper decision to reject the takeoff at an excessive speed, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with a fence. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to lock the door as required by the placarded door closing procedures.Jul 27, 2021 · N110CG · Substantial damageNTSB CEN17FA045Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 340 · Fargo, NDThe loose fuel fitting on the combustion heater that leaked a lean fuel-air mixture into the nose baggage compartment. The mixture was most likely ignited by the combustion heater, blowing off the nose baggage compartment doors and starting an in-flight fire.Dec 1, 2016 · N123KK · DestroyedNTSB CEN16FA261Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA 32R-300 · Houston, TXThe 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…Jul 8, 2016 · N32KK · DestroyedNTSB CEN12IA592Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportBritish Aerospace BAE Jetstream 3101 · Kansas City, MOThe flight crew’s failure to ensure that the cargo door was properly fastened before departure.Aug 29, 2012 · N695MA · Minor damageNTSB ANC09CA048Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPiper PA-32-301 · Birchwood, 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 · N8374T · Substantial damageNTSB ANC09LA017Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 207A · Hoonah, AKThe pilot's failure to ensure that the aft cargo door was properly latched and locked prior to departure, which resulted in an in-flight opening of the aft cargo door and subsequent damage to the airplane.Dec 31, 2008 · N39AK · Substantial damageNTSB ANC08MA038Accident · 6 fatalMajor investigationFinal reportPiper PA-31-350 · Kodiak, AKThe 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 baggage door in flight. Contributing to the accident were…Jan 5, 2008 · N509FN · Substantial damage
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
  WHERE c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT f.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '01035230'))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.