EMS helicopter has cargo doors depart the aircraft at cruise.

Attributes
ACN	291864
Time
Date	199412
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz artcc : rorg
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 3376 flight time type : 65
ASRS Report	291864
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Stat EMS was dispatched to city, state a, for a medical transport. Destination hospital in city, state B. EMS helicopter lifted off xyz and arrived at hospital a. The crew confign consisted of the pilot, 2 crew members and a patient. The patient was loaded onto the aircraft. The pilot conducted a walk-around inspection before boarding the aircraft and the crew members loaded the medical bags in the cargo/storage area. The crew members secured the patient and the cargo area and called clear to the pilot. After we lifted we heard a bang that sounded abnormal. I advised approach that I was diverting to the xyz airport. They terminated radar service and I contacted xyz tower. I landed without incident and inspected the aircraft for damage. Upon inspection it was noted that both cargo doors had separated from the aircraft in flight. It was determined through visual inspection and reference to the aircraft MEL and flight limitations that the helicopter was safe for the continuation of flight at a vne of 70 KTS. Flight was terminated at XXX without further incident at XX02. I believe the cause of the problem to have been an overloading of the cargo areas. I did not get an illuminated door light indicating the door altar on the caution advisory panel. To prevent this from happening again, the cargo doors will be locked with a key for every flight and a company mechanic will train and demonstrate the procedure for securing the cargo doors to all flight crew members.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI HAS CARGO DOORS DEPART THE ACFT AT CRUISE.

Narrative: STAT EMS WAS DISPATCHED TO CITY, STATE A, FOR A MEDICAL TRANSPORT. DEST HOSPITAL IN CITY, STATE B. EMS HELI LIFTED OFF XYZ AND ARRIVED AT HOSPITAL A. THE CREW CONFIGN CONSISTED OF THE PLT, 2 CREW MEMBERS AND A PATIENT. THE PATIENT WAS LOADED ONTO THE ACFT. THE PLT CONDUCTED A WALK-AROUND INSPECTION BEFORE BOARDING THE ACFT AND THE CREW MEMBERS LOADED THE MEDICAL BAGS IN THE CARGO/STORAGE AREA. THE CREW MEMBERS SECURED THE PATIENT AND THE CARGO AREA AND CALLED CLR TO THE PLT. AFTER WE LIFTED WE HEARD A BANG THAT SOUNDED ABNORMAL. I ADVISED APCH THAT I WAS DIVERTING TO THE XYZ ARPT. THEY TERMINATED RADAR SVC AND I CONTACTED XYZ TWR. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND INSPECTED THE ACFT FOR DAMAGE. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS NOTED THAT BOTH CARGO DOORS HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT IN FLT. IT WAS DETERMINED THROUGH VISUAL INSPECTION AND REF TO THE ACFT MEL AND FLT LIMITATIONS THAT THE HELI WAS SAFE FOR THE CONTINUATION OF FLT AT A VNE OF 70 KTS. FLT WAS TERMINATED AT XXX WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AT XX02. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THE PROB TO HAVE BEEN AN OVERLOADING OF THE CARGO AREAS. I DID NOT GET AN ILLUMINATED DOOR LIGHT INDICATING THE DOOR ALTAR ON THE CAUTION ADVISORY PANEL. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, THE CARGO DOORS WILL BE LOCKED WITH A KEY FOR EVERY FLT AND A COMPANY MECH WILL TRAIN AND DEMONSTRATE THE PROC FOR SECURING THE CARGO DOORS TO ALL FLC MEMBERS.

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.