Easterwood Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

College Station, Texas 77845
Saturday, October 15, 1994 17:28 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR CAME OPEN AND BEGAN 'FLAPPING' DURING TAKEOFF ROLL/INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB. THE PILOT CONTINUED HIS TAKEOFF AND RADIOED THAT HIS BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR HAD POPPED OPEN AND HE WAS RETURNING TO LAND. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING IN A STEEP CLIMB ATTITUDE, AT VERY SLOW AIRSPEED, IN A PRONOUNCED LEFT CRAB OR SLIP, IN A LEFT TURN AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 75 TO 100 FEET. THE PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT REPORTED HEARING THE STALL WARNING HORN INTERMITTENTLY PRIOR TO THE AIRPLANE'S IMPACT WITH TWO UTILITY POLES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD TAKEN A QUART OF OIL FROM THE FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT TO REPLENISH THE ENGINE OIL. HE REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT REMEMBER IF THE TOP PART OF THE LATCH WAS LATCHED PRIOR TO HIS TAKEOFF. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND THE RESULTING INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, AND HIS DIVERTED ATTENTION TO AN OPEN CARGO DOOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1728
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City COLLEGE STATION
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77845
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EASTERWOOD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CLL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 320
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1728 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID CLL
Elevation of weather observation facility 320
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1821
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 15 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2006 4:00PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2964A
NTSB Number FTW95FA019
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7940231
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 24 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 3405
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SANITORS SOUTHWEST INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 5932
Aircraft Owner City SAN ANTONIO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78201
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1726
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SAT
Destination City SAN ANTONIO
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --