FlightFollowerDoor opened 2 Killed After OVERWEIGHT Beechcraft Loses Control During Low-Altitude Turn Back
Accident facts and aircraft context
The pilot reported that a cabin door had opened after departure and was cleared to re-enter the traffic pattern.
Purpose of the flight
Local general-aviation flight that turned back after a cabin-door opening.
Flight sequence and key events
During the return, the aircraft climbed to only about 100 feet above ground level and struggled to gain altitude before entering a steep left bank and nose-down descent, ultimately impacting terrain.
Examination of the propeller indicated the engine was operating near high RPM at the time of impact.
According to the aircraft’s operating handbook, an open door could cause buffeting but should not significantly affect normal flight operations.
The accident sequence suggested that during the low-altitude left turn back toward the airport, the aircraft exceeded its critical angle of attack and entered an aerodynamic stall from which recovery was not possible.
At the time of the accident, the density altitude at the airport was calculated at 5,437 feet, significantly reducing aircraft performance.
Additionally, the airplane was operating above its maximum gross takeoff weight and beyond the aft center-of-gravity limit.
These conditions severely degraded climb performance, stability, and slow-flight handling characteristics, contributing directly to the loss of control during the attempted return to the airport
The low-altitude return left very little margin for correcting an unstable flightpath. The accident record supports a reconstruction centered on the door event, return decision, aircraft loading/condition and loss of control, without turning an attention-grabbing title into an unsupported official cause.
Investigation findings
Investigators found no evidence of mechanical failure in either the airframe or engine.
Further investigation revealed that earlier the same day, the occupants had already attempted the same trip but returned because the airplane could not climb adequately over mountainous terrain.
On September 7, 2019, a privately operated Beechcraft C24R Sierra, registered as Beechcraft C24R Sierra, crashed shortly after takeoff from Las Vegas-Henderson Executive Airport while attempting to return to the airport.
What the record establishes
The pilot’s decision to take off with the airplane over its maximum gross weight and the subsequent loss of control during the low-altitude turnback.
What the evidence shows
The aircraft’s loading condition reduced the available climb and handling margin. During the low-altitude turnback after the door-opening event, the aircraft stalled and the pilot could not recover.
- Incident date
- On September 7, 2019, a privately operated Beechcraft C24R Sierra, registered as
- Aircraft / registration
- Beechcraft C24R Sierra
- Investigation status
- Accident investigation / ASN record ASN228802