Introduction
On 28 October 2020, a Piper PA-34-200T Seneca, registration HK2946, operated by Colchárter IPS S.A.S., was involved in a serious incident during an air ambulance flight. The aircraft departed from Gustavo Artunduaga Airport in Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia, bound for Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport in Cali.
Flight History
After takeoff from runway 30 at approximately 11:00 local time, while climbing and crossing the threshold of runway 12 at about 50 feet, the nose baggage door opened. The pilot immediately contacted air traffic control, reporting the situation and requesting clearance to return. The clearance was granted. To prevent cargo from falling out, the pilot executed a right turn. During that turn, the baggage door detached and struck the left engine propeller. The pilot continued the approach and landed without further incident. The aircraft then taxied to the apron, and all six occupants (pilot, co-pilot, doctor, paramedic, patient, and companion) disembarked without injuries.
Damage
Minor damage was sustained. The forward baggage door was lost completely. The latching mechanism and lock plates were damaged. The three blades of the left engine (No. 1) propeller showed impact marks.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined the probable cause to be: detachment of the forward baggage door during takeoff due to failure of the latch lock, caused by deformation and elongation of the spring resulting from crews applying excessive force to close and lock the door during handling and operation.
Contributing Factor
A contributing factor was the lack of monitoring by the maintenance department and the absence of reports from crews, which prevented early warnings in the safety management system regarding the possible failure of these locks due to their operating time and repeated handling.
Recommendations
The investigation issued five safety recommendations to address the issues identified.