Small transport pilot in an emergency declared situation account aft cargo door open in-flight.

Attributes
ACN	228984
Time
Date	199212
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rzn
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time total : 1000
ASRS Report	228984
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The aft cargo door on the small transport requires closing the left side first and then the right. When closing the left side, considerable force is needed to get the upper and lower interior latches over the lock bars. However, it is possible to push the locking bar down allowing the right or forward door to close without having the interior latches seated properly. Contributing factors might be a non factory door seal system installed on the small transport. I felt it necessary to declare an emergency based on 2 factors: IFR conditions at the nearest airport with possible icing, and the possibility of the door coming off the aircraft and striking the tail section.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT IN AN EMER DECLARED SITUATION ACCOUNT AFT CARGO DOOR OPEN INFLT.

Narrative: THE AFT CARGO DOOR ON THE SMT REQUIRES CLOSING THE L SIDE FIRST AND THEN THE R. WHEN CLOSING THE L SIDE, CONSIDERABLE FORCE IS NEEDED TO GET THE UPPER AND LOWER INTERIOR LATCHES OVER THE LOCK BARS. HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE TO PUSH THE LOCKING BAR DOWN ALLOWING THE R OR FORWARD DOOR TO CLOSE WITHOUT HAVING THE INTERIOR LATCHES SEATED PROPERLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS MIGHT BE A NON FACTORY DOOR SEAL SYS INSTALLED ON THE SMT. I FELT IT NECESSARY TO DECLARE AN EMER BASED ON 2 FACTORS: IFR CONDITIONS AT THE NEAREST ARPT WITH POSSIBLE ICING, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THE DOOR COMING OFF THE ACFT AND STRIKING THE TAIL SECTION.

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.