Tampa Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tampa, Florida 33622
Tuesady, April 5, 1983 17:53 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 18L AT TAMPA INTL AIRPORT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE CONTROL TOWER THAT THE MAIN CABIN DOOR WAS OPEN AND REQUESTED LANDING INSTRUCTIONS. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS HOLDING THE DOOR AND TRYING TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 27. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND APPROX 200 FT SHORT OF RUNWAY 27. EXAMINATION OF THE LOCKING MECHANISM SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL STATES: 'SHOULD THE CABIN DOOR INADVERTENTLY OPEN IN FLIGHT, REDUCE AIRSPEED AND LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MANUALLY CLOSE (OR HOLD CLOSED) THE DOOR IN FLIGHT DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY CAUSED BY THE PROPELLER OR BY AIR LOADS ON THE DOOR.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/1983
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1753
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City TAMPA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33622
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TAMPA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1751
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 249
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2497
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22816
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6079R
NTSB Number MIA83LA111
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-60-601P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-60-601P
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHARLES HILTON LOYD, JR.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2462
Operator City PANAMA CITY
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32401
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code X09
Destination City OCEAN REEF
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --