On June 20, 1984, a Cessna 404 (registration N5340J) operated by Sierra Express Inc was involved in an aviation accident near San Francisco, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The opening of the nose baggage door during takeoff, which caused a loss of control that necessitated an aborted takeoff and gear-up landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot aborted a takeoff after the nose baggage door opened, causing the aircraft to pitch up and roll right. The pilot landed gear-up on the remaining runway with no mechanical defects found.
What happened
During the takeoff phase of flight, the nose baggage door of the aircraft opened immediately after the landing gear was retracted. The pilot reported that the opening door caused the aircraft to pitch up and roll to the right. Concerned about maintaining control of the aircraft, the pilot decided to abort the intersection takeoff.
The pilot executed an emergency landing on the remaining runway with the landing gear still extended. The aircraft landed gear-up, but no further details regarding damage or injuries were provided in the source text.
The investigation
Following the incident, investigators examined the nose baggage door of the aircraft. The inspection revealed that the door was undamaged and showed no signs of mechanical failure or defect. No other issues were identified with the door mechanism during the post-incident examination.
Probable cause
The opening of the nose baggage door during takeoff, which caused a loss of control that necessitated an aborted takeoff and gear-up landing.