Small aircraft has emergency exit door depart the aircraft in flight.

Attributes
ACN	182981
Time
Date	199107
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dug
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	182981
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was cruising at 7500' and 160 IAS when the emergency exit (the left side window next to the pilot extending into the rear seat area) blew off. It went straight out to the center of the engine compartment then back. Denting, scraping, and perforating the aircraft skin. The emergency door assembly all of which blew away includes steel rod handles opening and locking mechanism and frame in addition to plexiglas window. 3 flight hours prior to this occurrence the door had been removed and replaced as a required part of the annual service and inspection required. I continued to fly with some vibration and landed safely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS EMERGENCY EXIT DOOR DEPART THE ACFT IN FLT.

Narrative: I WAS CRUISING AT 7500' AND 160 IAS WHEN THE EMER EXIT (THE L SIDE WINDOW NEXT TO THE PLT EXTENDING INTO THE REAR SEAT AREA) BLEW OFF. IT WENT STRAIGHT OUT TO THE CTR OF THE ENG COMPARTMENT THEN BACK. DENTING, SCRAPING, AND PERFORATING THE ACFT SKIN. THE EMER DOOR ASSEMBLY ALL OF WHICH BLEW AWAY INCLUDES STEEL ROD HANDLES OPENING AND LOCKING MECHANISM AND FRAME IN ADDITION TO PLEXIGLAS WINDOW. 3 FLT HRS PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRENCE THE DOOR HAD BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED AS A REQUIRED PART OF THE ANNUAL SVC AND INSPECTION REQUIRED. I CONTINUED TO FLY WITH SOME VIBRATION AND LANDED SAFELY.

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.