Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain crash, Jan 5, 2008 (6 killed)
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain accident on January 5, 2008 near Kodiak, Alaska, United States with 6 fatalities. Cause: Failure of company...
- Date: January 5, 2008
- Aircraft: Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
- Location: Kodiak, Alaska, United States
- Fatalities: 6
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: Failure of company maintenance personnel to ensure the nose baggage door latch was properly configured and maintained, which let the door open in flight. Contributing factors were missing guidance on handling an in-flight baggage door opening and the resulting aerodynamic stall.
A Piper Navajo Chieftain charter from Kodiak, Alaska, lost control shortly after takeoff and crashed into the water offshore. The nose baggage door had opened in flight after its latch was not properly maintained, and the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall while turning back toward the airport. Six people died, and four survived after being rescued by a floatplane.