Rotary winged traffic loses door in-flight as student pilot attempts to close same.

Attributes
ACN	214319
Time
Date	199207
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : crq
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	214319
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 514
ASRS Report	214521
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Several mins after takeoff the student noticed that his door was ajar. I advised him to latch the door, and as he attempted to do so, the door (which is removable) came off its mounts and dropped away from the aircraft. Normally, the door is secured with a cotter pin that prevents it from lifting out of its mounts. The student neglected to install a pin during the preflight, and I overlooked his error. Use of cotter pins will be enforced in future by fines, placards, etc. Supplemental information from acn 214521. Cotter pin for hinge in student's door (right side) fell out somehow. Door was closed and latched but not locked, when student went to lock door handle the door opened after accidental unlatch and flew off aircraft in slipstream. In future, any door problem in-flight must be handled by instructor only. Instructor, unaware that cotter pin was missing, was simply trying to teach student to keep a level head and fly while locking door at same time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROTARY WINGED TFC LOSES DOOR INFLT AS STUDENT PLT ATTEMPTS TO CLOSE SAME.

Narrative: SEVERAL MINS AFTER TKOF THE STUDENT NOTICED THAT HIS DOOR WAS AJAR. I ADVISED HIM TO LATCH THE DOOR, AND AS HE ATTEMPTED TO DO SO, THE DOOR (WHICH IS REMOVABLE) CAME OFF ITS MOUNTS AND DROPPED AWAY FROM THE ACFT. NORMALLY, THE DOOR IS SECURED WITH A COTTER PIN THAT PREVENTS IT FROM LIFTING OUT OF ITS MOUNTS. THE STUDENT NEGLECTED TO INSTALL A PIN DURING THE PREFLT, AND I OVERLOOKED HIS ERROR. USE OF COTTER PINS WILL BE ENFORCED IN FUTURE BY FINES, PLACARDS, ETC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 214521. COTTER PIN FOR HINGE IN STUDENT'S DOOR (R SIDE) FELL OUT SOMEHOW. DOOR WAS CLOSED AND LATCHED BUT NOT LOCKED, WHEN STUDENT WENT TO LOCK DOOR HANDLE THE DOOR OPENED AFTER ACCIDENTAL UNLATCH AND FLEW OFF ACFT IN SLIPSTREAM. IN FUTURE, ANY DOOR PROBLEM INFLT MUST BE HANDLED BY INSTRUCTOR ONLY. INSTRUCTOR, UNAWARE THAT COTTER PIN WAS MISSING, WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO TEACH STUDENT TO KEEP A LEVEL HEAD AND FLY WHILE LOCKING DOOR AT SAME TIME.

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.