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Atlas / NTSB / LAX87LA164

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event LAX87LA164

1987-03-31 TUCSON, Arizona, United States Airport · TUS None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N13W

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

PIPER PA-32R-301

Year of manufacture

2001

Engine

LYCOMING IO-540 SER (300 hp)

Seats / Engines

7 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20010328

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A07ACC

Registrant of record

STL LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE AIRCRAFT DOOR CAME OPEN DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF BECAUSE IT WAS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED AND LOCKED. THE PILOT RAISED THE LANDING GEAR. THEREAFTER, BECAUSE OF SLOW ACCELERATION, HE ELECTED TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. HE MOVED THE LANDING GEAR LEVER TO THE DOWN POSITION BUT WAS UNABLE TO HOLD OFF LONG ENOUGH FOR THE GEAR TO EXTEND FULLY INTO THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1987_LAX87LA164.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.