Fatal Crash near Henderson, NV

Looks like a door popped open on takeoff and distracted the pilot. Should've just gone around and landed.
 
Brad Smith said:
Looks like a door popped open on takeoff and distracted the pilot. Should've just gone around and landed.
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Is that the latest? Last thing I read was said to be a mechanic issue and tried to turn back.
 
Ryanb said:
Is that the latest? Last thing I read was said to be a mechanic issue and tried to turn back.
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From News10.com:

“Audio obtained via FlightAware.com indicates that a door came open on the plane before it crashed. That information has not been confirmed.”
 
Brad Smith said:
From News10.com:

“Audio obtained via FlightAware.com indicates that a door came open on the plane before it crashed. That information has not been confirmed.”
Click to expand...
Roger. That is unfortunate...
 
Brad Smith said:
From News10.com:

“Audio obtained via FlightAware.com indicates that a door came open on the plane before it crashed. That information has not been confirmed.”
Click to expand...

If true, that is a real pity and unnecessary crash.
 
Five people in a Sierra and enough fuel to fly to San Diego?

We'll see what the investigation reveals about their takeoff performance.
 
IK04 said:
Five people in a Sierra and enough fuel to fly to San Diego?

We'll see what the investigation reveals about their takeoff performance.
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Four on board, fifth was Good Samaritan on the ground helping them and was hurt.

But your point is still valid.
 
IK04 said:
Five people in a Sierra and enough fuel to fly to San Diego?

We'll see what the investigation reveals about their takeoff performance.
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A Sierra owner once told me that the back row is for a box of Kleenex only.
 
4 adults, full fuel, 80F, 2000 foot field elevation is pushing a Sierra, IMHO. An open door should be a non event. Slip the plane and close the door.

Prayers for family and friends
 
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Could it have been a stall spin, caused by the open door distraction?
 
FlyingElvii said:
A Sierra owner once told me that the back row is for a box of Kleenex only.
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I expect that owner was referring to the #5 & 6 "jump" seats that could be ordered as an option from Beech.
Certainly the four standard seats in the Sierra are plenty roomy - you're far less cramped than a Bonanza. And from 1971 on there were two passenger doors on every Sierra.
 
GRG55 said:
I expect that owner was referring to the #5 & 6 "jump" seats that could be ordered as an option from Beech.
Certainly the four standard seats in the Sierra are plenty roomy - you're far less cramped than a Bonanza. And from 1971 on there were two passenger doors on every Sierra.
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I took the post to mean performance limited not space limited.
 
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More than 40 years ago, we had a door pop open on a Cherokee when I was first taking lessons. The instructor yelled across (no headsets!), "Hey, it happens all the time, very hard to close in flight", so we did so on a stop-n-go (didn't even try in the air.) When I was first flying Cessnas, the instructor told me to open the door, and he opened his, and we happily steered the plane with the doors (and high-wing Cessna doors are relatively easy to close in flight.)
Unless a door departs the aircraft, or protrudes so far into the airstream as to cause a safety-of-flight issue, I certainly see no great emergency. Yet it happens year after year (especially in Bonanzas, or at least I remember it that way.)
 
I had the air stair drop open on rotation in a Chieftain once. The plane made a big yaw to the left. My first thought was...''what just hit me.??''

A lot of dust blowing round in the wind, a lot more louder inside, but I just kept it flying and fell into the pattern to land. A thorough inspection by the mechanic and then back in the air.

There were no passengers on board but I was at MGW with supplies for the village store.
 
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