Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 600) crash, Sep 11, 1991 (2 killed)
Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 600) accident on September 11, 1991 near Ruidoso-Sierra Blanca, New Mexico, United States with 2 fatalities. Cause:...
- Date: September 11, 1991
- Aircraft: Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 600)
- Location: Ruidoso-Sierra Blanca, New Mexico, United States
- Fatalities: 2
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: Loss of control after the cabin door opened inadvertently during the takeoff run, degrading drag and pitch performance and leading to a stall.
A Piper Aerostar on a private cross-country flight from Ruidoso to Reno had an unusually long takeoff roll and climbed with a high nose attitude after the cabin door opened during the run. It settled and crashed about a mile past the runway end. Two occupants were killed and one passenger was seriously injured.