BE18 has cargo door depart the aircraft on descent to landing.

Attributes
ACN	314115
Time
Date	199508
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lrd
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lrd tower : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Twin Beech 18
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3300
ASRS Report	314115
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was plting a BE18 from mmcn to lrd. Approximately 12 mi to the west of the airport, descending through 4000 ft for a landing, the rear cargo door popped off. There was no damage to the airplane other than what was confined to the door. The FAA in my home district, little rock, ar, were notified and have inspected. It has a door unsafe light on the instrument panel, but the bulb was burned out. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states there is a push to test capability on the light, but it is not on the checklist and he had not checked it. The aircraft is very old. The latch had broken 4 months prior to this flight and the unit had been replaced from another aircraft. Reporter feels the turbulence through which he was flying and a rapid descent due to being held high for too long were factors in the door departing the aircraft. The door was never recovered. FAA has investigated and there is no further action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE18 HAS CARGO DOOR DEPART THE ACFT ON DSCNT TO LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS PLTING A BE18 FROM MMCN TO LRD. APPROX 12 MI TO THE W OF THE ARPT, DSNDING THROUGH 4000 FT FOR A LNDG, THE REAR CARGO DOOR POPPED OFF. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE OTHER THAN WHAT WAS CONFINED TO THE DOOR. THE FAA IN MY HOME DISTRICT, LITTLE ROCK, AR, WERE NOTIFIED AND HAVE INSPECTED. IT HAS A DOOR UNSAFE LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, BUT THE BULB WAS BURNED OUT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THERE IS A PUSH TO TEST CAPABILITY ON THE LIGHT, BUT IT IS NOT ON THE CHKLIST AND HE HAD NOT CHKED IT. THE ACFT IS VERY OLD. THE LATCH HAD BROKEN 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS FLT AND THE UNIT HAD BEEN REPLACED FROM ANOTHER ACFT. RPTR FEELS THE TURB THROUGH WHICH HE WAS FLYING AND A RAPID DSCNT DUE TO BEING HELD HIGH FOR TOO LONG WERE FACTORS IN THE DOOR DEPARTING THE ACFT. THE DOOR WAS NEVER RECOVERED. FAA HAS INVESTIGATED AND THERE IS NO FURTHER ACTION.

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.