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Small aircraft's cabin door opens in-flight. Aircraft return land at departure airport. Altitude deviation noted by alert approach controller in the arsa.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 207993 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199204 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hsv |
| State Reference | AL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : hsv |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 660 flight time type : 57 |
| ASRS Report | 207993 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
After departing hsv, upon reaching approximately 3500 ft MSL during climb out, the aircraft cabin door popped open unexpectedly. Following the manufacturer's recommendations, I slowed the aircraft to 90 mph, opened the small window to the left of the pilot's seat, and with some effort was able to get the door closed, but not properly latched. Unfortunately, during this time (about 1 min) the aircraft descended to 1600 ft MSL (about 1000 ft AGL), and I did not want to increase airspeed or engine power greatly, fearing that the additional airflow and vibration might lead to the door re-opening. Huntsville approach control noticed my loss of altitude, inquired as to the reason for the descent, and cleared me for return to the airport. During return, I maintained 1600 ft MSL and about 110 mph, landing successfully with 1/2 flaps (25 degrees). The door was closed normally, appearing to have incurred no damage, and the trip was then completed without further difficulties. Although I did visually check the position of the door latch prior to takeoff, it is possible that the passenger who closed the door did not do so firmly enough for the latch to function properly. Also, the bulb in the door latch warning light had burned out and not yet been replaced. In the future, I will give the door a good shove during the pre-takeoff check, and carry a spare bulb for each of the aircraft's warning lights.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA'S CABIN DOOR OPENS INFLT. ACFT RETURN LAND AT DEP ARPT. ALTDEV NOTED BY ALERT APCH CTLR IN THE ARSA.
Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING HSV, UPON REACHING APPROX 3500 FT MSL DURING CLBOUT, THE ACFT CABIN DOOR POPPED OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY. FOLLOWING THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS, I SLOWED THE ACFT TO 90 MPH, OPENED THE SMALL WINDOW TO THE L OF THE PLT'S SEAT, AND WITH SOME EFFORT WAS ABLE TO GET THE DOOR CLOSED, BUT NOT PROPERLY LATCHED. UNFORTUNATELY, DURING THIS TIME (ABOUT 1 MIN) THE ACFT DSNDED TO 1600 FT MSL (ABOUT 1000 FT AGL), AND I DID NOT WANT TO INCREASE AIRSPD OR ENG PWR GREATLY, FEARING THAT THE ADDITIONAL AIRFLOW AND VIBRATION MIGHT LEAD TO THE DOOR RE-OPENING. HUNTSVILLE APCH CTL NOTICED MY LOSS OF ALT, INQUIRED AS TO THE REASON FOR THE DSCNT, AND CLRED ME FOR RETURN TO THE ARPT. DURING RETURN, I MAINTAINED 1600 FT MSL AND ABOUT 110 MPH, LNDG SUCCESSFULLY WITH 1/2 FLAPS (25 DEGS). THE DOOR WAS CLOSED NORMALLY, APPEARING TO HAVE INCURRED NO DAMAGE, AND THE TRIP WAS THEN COMPLETED WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTIES. ALTHOUGH I DID VISUALLY CHK THE POS OF THE DOOR LATCH PRIOR TO TKOF, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PAX WHO CLOSED THE DOOR DID NOT DO SO FIRMLY ENOUGH FOR THE LATCH TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. ALSO, THE BULB IN THE DOOR LATCH WARNING LIGHT HAD BURNED OUT AND NOT YET BEEN REPLACED. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL GIVE THE DOOR A GOOD SHOVE DURING THE PRE-TKOF CHK, AND CARRY A SPARE BULB FOR EACH OF THE ACFT'S WARNING LIGHTS.
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.