Cessna 207A N39AK accident near Hoonah, Alaska

Probable cause

The 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.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot departed on a VFR commuter flight when about 10 minutes after takeoff the aft cargo door opened. The door, which is hinged to open in a rearward direction, struck the right side of the fuselage, producing structural damage to the fuselage and door. The flight continued to its destination and landed without incident. No cargo or mail was lost during the event. According to the airplane's information manual, the forward cargo door is opened first. The aft door can then be opened by grasping the red handle on the forward edge of the door, and pulling downward to release its locking pawls. The cargo doors may be locked from the inside or outside, and the airplane manual states that "Both doors must be securely closed and the forward door locked prior to flight..." During a telephone conversation with the NTSB Investigator-In-Charge, the director of maintenance for the operator reported that during his postaccident inspection of the airplane, he did not detect any malfunction of the cargo door latch mechanism.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC09LA017 for the full record.