On April 5, 1983, a Piper PA-60-601P (registration N6079R) operated by Charles Hilton Loyd, Jr. was involved in an aviation accident near Tampa, FL. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft departed runway 18L at Tampa International Airport. After takeoff, the pilot reported the main cabin door was open. While on short final to runway 27, the pilot lost control and collided with the ground about 200 feet short of the runway.
Flight History
The aircraft departed from runway 18L at Tampa International Airport. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot contacted the control tower to report that the main cabin door was open and requested landing instructions. The pilot stated that he was holding the door closed while attempting to fly the aircraft on short final approach to runway 27.
Accident
During the short final approach, the pilot lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft subsequently collided with the ground approximately 200 feet short of runway 27.
Examination
Post-accident examination of the door locking mechanism revealed no evidence of malfunction or failure.
Flight Manual Guidance
The aircraft flight manual includes the following instruction: "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."