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Though the cause of the crash remains undetermined, the same panel swinging open on other Piper PA-31 Navajo Chieftains has caused two previous crashes in Alaska, National Transportation and Safety Board accident investigator Clint Johnson said.

"There have been some incidents and accidents that did result from the door coming open," Johnson said. "We don't know yet if there are similarities."

Johnson said a number of factors could be to blame for the crash and a full investigation will take time to complete.

The fuselage was to undergo inspection beginning Tuesday after a Piper accident investigator arrived to assist, Johnson said.

According to online NTSB statistics, of the 1,765 aircraft accidents in Alaska since 1995, 38 have involved Piper Navajos, including two in 2007. Almost all involved pilot or maintenance errors. People died in three of the crashes.

None of the fatal Alaska crashes involved the luggage compartment door but there were at least two cases of a baggage compartment opening and causing nonfatal crashes of Navajos in Alaska, according to the reports.

In April 1990, a Navajo took off from Deadhorse and the door popped loose, causing an engine cover to separate and strike the plane's horizontal stabilizer. There were no injuries.

An NTSB investigation found that a latching spring that exerts pressure to close the handle was missing. The operator had modified it to include an unauthorized safety device to keep the door shut without it being locked shut, according to the report.

In May 1996, a Navajo operated by Cape Smythe Air Service took off from Point Hope for Wainwright. The pilot had loaded the nose compartment with luggage and visually checked the hatch. The takeoff was normal until the plane's nose lifted in the air, according to the report.

"Baggage and boxes exited the nose baggage compartment and fell through the left engine's propeller," the report said.

The pilot tried to return to Point Hope but was forced to crash-land on sea ice. Just before touching down, the airplane started a slow roll to the left. Two people on board were seriously injured.

The pilot told investigators she thought the PA-31 would not fly when the forward baggage door was open. The crash was attributed, in part, to pilot error for failing to check the hatch.