What happened
During the departure phase of a cross-country flight, the Aerostar exhibited an unusually long takeoff roll and an abrupt rotation to an excessive nose attitude. Following the initial climb, the aircraft began to settle while maintaining a high pitch. The aircraft subsequently crashed roughly one mile beyond the departure end of the runway.
During the investigation of the wreckage, the main cabin door was discovered in an unlocked state. The lower portion of the door was located near the start of the debris field with evidence of impact, while the upper section was found further along the wreckage path showing signs of fire damage.
Findings
- The accident resulted in two fatalities and one serious injury.
- The investigation identified that the unlocked cabin door contributed to the accident, as the Aerostar is known to experience significant degradation in both drag and pitch performance if the door opens during the takeoff roll.