Cessna 162 N6047W

Summary

On 16 July 2015 at about 15:15 local time, a Cessna 162 registered N6047W was involved in an accident near Dunkirk, New York, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 July 2015 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Dunkirk, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Chautauqua County/Dunkirk (DKK)

Coordinates

42.5158, -79.2592

Aircraft

Cessna 162

Registration

N6047W

Category

Airplane

Year built

2011

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dunkirk → Dunkirk

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA15LA269

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while attempting to close an open cabin door, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the light sport airplane had completed two touch-and-go takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern. During the third takeoff, the right door opened at an altitude about 400 ft above ground level. Seated in the left seat, the pilot attempted to reach across the cockpit and close the door, but could not reach the handle. He stated that the airplane "did not want to fly," and "began to sink" before it impacted trees. A witness stated that the airplane was in an "aggressive" nose-up attitude just before impact. Postaccident examination of the airplane, including the right door latch, revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot's operating handbook for the airplane stated that, in the event of a door opening in flight, the pilot should not attempt to close the door and should land normally as soon as practical. It is likely that the pilot became distracted by the open door during flight, and, in his attempt to close the door at low altitude, the airplane became too slow, exceeded its critical angle of attack, and experienced an aerodynamic stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.