Piper PA32RT N30689 accident near Yulee, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in a stall/spin at an altitude too low for recovery. Contributing to the accident was the opening of the nose baggage door and subsequent distraction of the pilot during a critical phase of flight, as well as the external pressure of the approaching thunderstorms, which likely resulted in the pilot rushing to depart.

NTSB analysis

The purpose of the flight was to reposition the airplane from the departure airport to an airport about 4 nautical miles (nm) away. Before the flight the pilot drove to the destination airport and dropped his spouse, dogs, and some baggage there, where they would wait out storms that were forecasted to pass through the area. He then returned to the departure airport and finished loading the airplane. Surveillance video showed the airplane taxiing and departing. During taxi the nose baggage door appeared to be closed, but during the takeoff roll the nose baggage door appeared to be open. The airplane was then observed during initial climb at a high angle of attack; subsequently, the left wing dropped and the airplane made a steep left-wing-low descent, impacting trees and the ground. The entirety of the flight lasted about 10 seconds.

During postaccident examination, the nose baggage door was not located in the wreckage; the fuselage, including the location of the nose baggage door, was consumed by postimpact fire. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Witnesses described that it had just begun to rain about the time of the accident. A review of meteorological conditions showed that at the time of the accident there were thunderstorms quickly moving toward the area. It is not likely that the airplane encountered a weather phenomenon that would have jeopardized the safety of the flight, because the storms were not directly over the accident area at the time of the accident. However, the approaching thunderstorms likely resulted in external pressures and the pilot experiencing “get-there-itis” and rushing to depart on the short flight. It is also likely that, in his rush to depart, the pilot did not ensure the nose baggage door was securely latched, which resulted in the door opening during the takeoff roll. The pilot’s distraction during a critical phase of flight likely resulted in the airplane’s nose-high pitch attitude, exceedance of the critical angle of attack, and subsequent stall/spin.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA25FA201 for the full record.