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Rear cabin door of small transport cargo flight came open in flight at approximately 3500'. Pilot elected to return and land.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 145964 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199005 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bur |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3700 msl bound upper : 3700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bur |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude descent other landing other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2450 |
| ASRS Report | 145964 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
During climb out from bur on the vny 6 departure I heard a loud bang and sudden vibration which didn't last more than a few seconds. I checked the engine gauges and annunciator lights, but all systems were normal. I then contacted bur approach and told them I had a problem (unknown) and requested the VOR 8 approach to bur. An uneventful landing was made on runway 15. Further examination of the aircraft showed that the upper half of the rear cabin door had come open in flight. Most of the aircraft in our fleet are equipped with mechanical latches on them for this door as a matter of additional safety. This aircraft was not. Even though the door was locked and pressed into place, vibration and even a minute irregularity in the sheet metal near the door can allow just enough air to lift or put a lifting pressure on this door. The extra latch is not required by a.D. Or other modification. My next inspection (preflight) will include some assistance from a mechanic in what to look for in irregularities.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: REAR CABIN DOOR OF SMT CARGO FLT CAME OPEN IN FLT AT APPROX 3500'. PLT ELECTED TO RETURN AND LAND.
Narrative: DURING CLBOUT FROM BUR ON THE VNY 6 DEP I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND SUDDEN VIBRATION WHICH DIDN'T LAST MORE THAN A FEW SECS. I CHKED THE ENG GAUGES AND ANNUNCIATOR LIGHTS, BUT ALL SYSTEMS WERE NORMAL. I THEN CONTACTED BUR APCH AND TOLD THEM I HAD A PROB (UNKNOWN) AND REQUESTED THE VOR 8 APCH TO BUR. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE ON RWY 15. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT SHOWED THAT THE UPPER HALF OF THE REAR CABIN DOOR HAD COME OPEN IN FLT. MOST OF THE ACFT IN OUR FLEET ARE EQUIPPED WITH MECHANICAL LATCHES ON THEM FOR THIS DOOR AS A MATTER OF ADDITIONAL SAFETY. THIS ACFT WAS NOT. EVEN THOUGH THE DOOR WAS LOCKED AND PRESSED INTO PLACE, VIBRATION AND EVEN A MINUTE IRREGULARITY IN THE SHEET METAL NEAR THE DOOR CAN ALLOW JUST ENOUGH AIR TO LIFT OR PUT A LIFTING PRESSURE ON THIS DOOR. THE EXTRA LATCH IS NOT REQUIRED BY A.D. OR OTHER MODIFICATION. MY NEXT INSPECTION (PREFLT) WILL INCLUDE SOME ASSISTANCE FROM A MECH IN WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN IRREGULARITIES.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.