Narrative:

Picked up a new small transport. First takeoff, door popped open on turnout from pattern. Assigned 2500' and descended to 2100' while trying to control aircraft. Due to considerable noise from open door, I had trouble hearing radios. I was vectored toward a military base next to macon airport and upon lining up with macon runway 5, I heard a garbled transmission. I asked them to repeat the instructions, and again I couldn't hear or understand. To keep from entering the AFB pattern and since I had already gone through the final approach course, I assumed that the transmission was to make a visibility approach. No conflict with traffic. My only mistake was not declaring an emergency in the blind, so other traffic would be rerouted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISTR AND AUDITORY INTERFERENCE FROM OPEN DOOR IN FLT LEADS TO ALT AND HEADING DEVIATION FOR SMA TWIN PLT.

Narrative: PICKED UP A NEW SMT. FIRST TKOF, DOOR POPPED OPEN ON TURNOUT FROM PATTERN. ASSIGNED 2500' AND DSNDED TO 2100' WHILE TRYING TO CTL ACFT. DUE TO CONSIDERABLE NOISE FROM OPEN DOOR, I HAD TROUBLE HEARING RADIOS. I WAS VECTORED TOWARD A MIL BASE NEXT TO MACON ARPT AND UPON LINING UP WITH MACON RWY 5, I HEARD A GARBLED XMISSION. I ASKED THEM TO REPEAT THE INSTRUCTIONS, AND AGAIN I COULDN'T HEAR OR UNDERSTAND. TO KEEP FROM ENTERING THE AFB PATTERN AND SINCE I HAD ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE, I ASSUMED THAT THE XMISSION WAS TO MAKE A VIS APCH. NO CONFLICT WITH TFC. MY ONLY MISTAKE WAS NOT DECLARING AN EMER IN THE BLIND, SO OTHER TFC WOULD BE REROUTED.

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.