# NTSB ANC96FA078: Piper PA-31-350, N4109E, Point Hope, AK, May 24, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report - Date: May 24, 1996, 14:38 local (22:38 UTC) - Place: Point Hope, AK - Coordinates: 68.700714, -164.810012 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=68.7007&lon=-164.8100&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious, 2 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 8, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2754 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC96FA078 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2754/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96FA078 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight to ensure the nose baggage door was properly latched, and the subsequent opening of the baggage compartment door, which allowed items to collide with the left propeller, resulting in propeller damage and loss of thrust from the left engine. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, takeoff - initial climb - door,cargo/baggage - not secured (cause) - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - door,cargo/baggage - open (cause) - propeller system/accessories - overload - propeller feathering - not performed, pilot in command - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing ## Analysis The scheduled air taxi flight was to depart Point Hope, Alaska, with a destination of Wainwright, Alaska. While the airplane was on the ground at Point Hope, the station agent loaded the nose baggage compartment and closed the nose baggage door. The pilot visually checked the nose baggage door while standing on the wing next to the cockpit door. During the takeoff, at rotation, the nose baggage door came fully open. Baggage and boxes exited the nose baggage compartment and fell through the left engine's propeller. The pilot elected to land on sea ice. Just prior to touching down, the airplane started a slow, uncontrolled roll to the left. The passenger reported that when baggage exited the baggage compartment, a duffel bag hit the propeller; he described the propeller as being destroyed by the encounter. According to the pilot, the company training program included instructions concerning baggage door operation. The pilot was under the impression from informal discussions that the PA-31 airplane would not fly with the nose baggage door in the open position. The company training program did not discuss operations with an open nose baggage door. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 24, 1996, at 1438 Alaska daylight time, a retractable gear, wheel equipped Piper PA-31-350 Navajo airplane, N4109E, registered to and operated by Cape Smythe Air Service of Barrow, Alaska, sustained substantial damage during an off airport emergency landing near Point Hope, Alaska. The scheduled air taxi flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, had just departed the Point Hope airport, and the destination was Wainwright, Alaska. A visual flight rules flight plan was in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The certificated airline transport pilot and one passenger were seriously injured, two passengers received minor injuries, and two passengers were not injured. During a telephone conversation with the pilot on May 28, 1996, she stated that the station agent at Point Hope had loaded some boxes into the airplane's nose baggage compartment, and closed the baggage door. She said that she visually checked the latch handle while she was standing on the wing, prior to entering the cockpit. The takeoff run was normal until she raised the nose of the airplane for liftoff. The nose baggage door opened and boxes and baggage began departing the compartment and falling through the left engine's propeller. The pilot attempted to return to Point Hope. She stated she was not able to maintain altitude or airspeed and she elected to land on the sea ice. The airplane began to roll to the left just prior to touchdown on the sea ice, and landed "hard" on the ice. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The nose baggage door was recovered and examined. The latches and hinge mechanisms were found to be fully functional. The latch assembly was equipped with two safety devices. One device was a bar that slid over the latch handle. The other safety device was a black knob which took the place of the key lock. The black knob is supposed to point horizontally when it locks the latch handle in place. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The airplane came to rest on the sea ice, approximately .4 miles off the coast of Point Hope on a magnetic bearing from Point Hope of 300 degrees. The wreckage could not be examined because the sea ice broke apart and the airplane sank into the ocean. The wreckage has not been recovered. The pilot stated she felt the left engine stopped producing power after the baggage from the nose compartment traveled through the left engine's propeller. She did not feather the engine prior to landing. Just prior to landing the airplane began an uncontrolled slow roll to the left. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION During an interview with the pilot, she stated that she was trained on how to operate the nose baggage door. She also stated that idle conversation in the hallway among the pilots during training indicated that most pilots believed the Navajo PA-31 airplane would not fly with the nose baggage door open. She stated this information was not covered in training. According to a passenger, Mr. John Tidwell of Barrow, Alaska, the nose baggage door came open and boxes started falling out. The pilot banked the airplane to the left and a large duffel bag fell out and hit the propeller. Mr. Tidwell described the propeller as destroyed after the duffel bag struck the propeller. The airplane continued in a left turn and crashed onto the sea ice. Mr. Tidwell stated that prior to takeoff, the pilot was loading the airplane while the station agent loaded the nose baggage compartment. He heard the pilot ask the station agent if he had closed the "left front hatch." The station agent replied in the affirmative. Mr. Tidwell said the pilot never went up to the "left front hatch" to check its security. According to the pilot, the company procedure does not state how the pilot should check to ensure the nose baggage door is secure. She stated she stood on the wing and viewed the latch handle and black knob and they both appeared to be in their correct position. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4109E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4109E-1996-08-16), registration cancelled 1996-08-16, S/N 318353003 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-31-350 - Registry model: [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (registry code 7103110) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31-8353003 - Airframe hours: 11070 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Cape Smythe Air Service - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 1, 1996, 87 hours before - Departed: PHO - Destination: AK03, WAINWRIGHT, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: PHO, Point Hope, runway 1, 4,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 2,854 total, 85 in this make and model, 2,000 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 36 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19960524045629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960524045629A), May 24, 1996: Piper PA31350, Point Hope, AK, Substantial damage. Nose baggage door opened on takeoff. Baggage hit left prop. Got belwo umc. Landed on sea ice. Will fly door open. ## Other investigations on N4109E (2) 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 ANC90LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC90LA062), Apr 17, 1990: Piper PA-31-350 (N4109E), Deadhorse, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE NOSE BAGGAGE DOOR. - [NTSB ANC86LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC86LA099), Jul 4, 1986: Piper PA-31-350 (N4109E), Barrow, AK, substantial damage 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.