# NTSB ERA10WA489: Piper PA-31-350, N84859, South Bimini, Bahamas, September 19, 2010

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Foreign investigation
- Date: September 19, 2010, 14:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place: South Bimini, Bahamas
- Coordinates: 25.7, -79.264999 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.7000&lon=-79.2650&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 6 uninjured
- Status: Led by another country's authority
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA Miami IFO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 77345
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10WA489
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77345/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77345
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10WA489

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Prior to flight: Aircraft inspection event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050); cases with it: [Piper PA-31-350, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md?model=7103110), [All aircraft, 229 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md)
- [Initial climb: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-31-350, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md?model=7103110), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md)

## Factual narrative

On September 19, 2010, at 1440 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA31-350, N84859, registered to Spirit Air Inc, and operated by Pioneer Air Services was on initial climb out when the lower half of the main cabin door came open. The pilot reversed his course and returned to the departure airport, landing on runway 27. The right main landing gear tire blew out on the landing roll. The airplane went off the right side of the runway, struck a tree, caught fire and came to a complete stop. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot and five passengers were not injured and the airplane received substantial damage. The flight originated from Bimini Airport, South Bimini Island, Bahamas, at 1435, and was operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Bahamian Government. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Manager of Flight Standards, Bahamas P.O. Box AP 59244 Nassau, N.P. Bahamas Phone: (242) 377-3445/3448 Facsimile: (242) 377-6060 This report is for information purposes only, and contains only information released by or obtained for the Bahamian Government.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N84859](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N84859-2012-03-23), registration cancelled 2012-03-23, S/N 31-7305043 (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: 31-7305043
- Engines: reciprocating; reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Pioneer Air Services
- Registered owner: Spirit Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: MYBS, South Bimini
- Destination: FXE, Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: MYBS, South Bimini Airport, runway 27, 5,409 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn
- Wind: 80° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observed at: MIA

## Other investigations on N84859 (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 SEA08LA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA025), Nov 12, 2007: Piper PA-31-350 (N84859), Salt Lake City, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to use a written checklist.

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 27, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77345. 11 KB in all.

- Foreign Accident Authority Statement (item 1, .PDF, 11 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336686&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Foreign%20Accident%20Authority%20Statement-Master.PDF

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.

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