# NTSB IAD79IA090: Piper PA-31, N7697L, Morristown, NJ, September 25, 1979

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: September 25, 1979
- Place: Morristown, NJ · MORRISTOWN, NJ
- Location: 40.7966° N, 74.4773° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Morristown, NJ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7966&lon=-74.4773&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 8 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 28, 1980
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 132899
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD79IA090
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD79IA090

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5-0054  79/9/25    MORRISTOWN,NJ       PIPER PA-31         CR-  0  0  2  COMMERCIAL                AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
        TIME - 2110                    N7697L              PX-  0  0  6  COMMUTER AIR CARRIER      40, 11500 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-MINOR        OT-  0  0  0  AIR TAXI-PASSG S-D        120 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        CLASSIFIED AS INCIDENT
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          WASHINGTON,DC               MORRISTOWN,NJ
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           MISCELLANEOUS                                            IN FLIGHT: DESCENDING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           AIRFRAME - FUSELAGE: DOORS,DOOR FRAMES
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - EXCESSIVE-WEAR/PLAY
        REMARKS- PAX DOOR OPENED DRG FLT.FOUND WORN HINGE.LARGE PAX WAS SEATED NEXT TO DOOR.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7697L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7697L-1997-05-21), registration cancelled 1997-05-21, S/N 317305027 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31
- Registry model: [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (registry code 7103110) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Minor damage

## Other investigations on N7697L (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 FTW85LA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW85LA250), Jun 9, 1985: Piper PA-31-350 (N7697L), Dallas, TX, 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.

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