- Date
- March 18, 1988, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Las Vegas, NV
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8307RBeech A24R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 40789
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Door,exterior crew - unlatchedCause
Aircraft preflight - inadequateCause
Door,exterior crew - openCause
On ground/water collision with object
Object - runway lightFactor
Directional control - not maintainedCause
Diverted attentionFactor
Analysis
During climb to cruise the aircraft's door opened. The pilot then diverted to a nearby airport for a precautionary landing. During landing the pilot had difficulty maintaining directional control. The aircraft struck a runway edge light during landing roll with most of the stabilizer separating from the aircraft. No pre-existing problem could be found with the door.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8307R
- Reported as
- Beech A24R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- MC-32
- Airframe hours
- 1,981
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-A1B, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Maurice Truhitte
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 3, 1987 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- LAS · Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- SBP · San Luis Obispo, CA
- Airport
- VGT · N. Las Vegas Air Terminal, runway 25, 5,005 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 280 total · 8 in this make and model · 156 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 75 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAS, 6 nm away