B25 takeoff runway 15. At rotation escape hatch departed the aircraft landing on intersection both r...

Attributes
ACN	368219
Time
Date	199705
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bur
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bur
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Military
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 71 flight time total : 5100 flight time type : 122
ASRS Report	368219
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 25800 flight time type : 530
ASRS Report	268315
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Shortly after rotation on takeoff (from runway 15 bur) the tailgun position escape hatch departed the aircraft. The flight crew (PIC and copilot) were notified of this by intercom, just after we were handed off to departure control. Departure control also mentioned that the tower 'thought' some material had come out of our aircraft. No action was required or requested, so we continued on our photo mission. After a 1 hour photo mission we landed at another airport for recovery and new mission. At this time we were told that bur airport had to close down for 3/4 hour to sweep both runways since our plexiglas impacted and shattered at the intersection of the runways. We called bur on land-line and apologized. At second airport we replaced hatch and rtb with no further problem. Supplemental information from acn 368315: possible that it might have been installed incorrectly. It may also be that the hatch, which was probably over 50 yrs old, had undiscovered flaws. Though not a normal preflight item, pilots of older aircraft might be well advised to check the security of windows, doors and hatches, and other parts that might either become age weakened or are subject to improper installation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B25 TKOF RWY 15. AT ROTATION ESCAPE HATCH DEPARTED THE ACFT LNDG ON INTXN BOTH RWYS. FIELD WAS CLOSED FOR 45 MINS TO CLEAN UP DEBRIS. ACFT CONTINUED ON ITS PHOTO MISSION.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER ROTATION ON TKOF (FROM RWY 15 BUR) THE TAILGUN POS ESCAPE HATCH DEPARTED THE ACFT. THE FLC (PIC AND COPLT) WERE NOTIFIED OF THIS BY INTERCOM, JUST AFTER WE WERE HANDED OFF TO DEP CTL. DEP CTL ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE TWR 'THOUGHT' SOME MATERIAL HAD COME OUT OF OUR ACFT. NO ACTION WAS REQUIRED OR REQUESTED, SO WE CONTINUED ON OUR PHOTO MISSION. AFTER A 1 HR PHOTO MISSION WE LANDED AT ANOTHER ARPT FOR RECOVERY AND NEW MISSION. AT THIS TIME WE WERE TOLD THAT BUR ARPT HAD TO CLOSE DOWN FOR 3/4 HR TO SWEEP BOTH RWYS SINCE OUR PLEXIGLAS IMPACTED AND SHATTERED AT THE INTXN OF THE RWYS. WE CALLED BUR ON LAND-LINE AND APOLOGIZED. AT SECOND ARPT WE REPLACED HATCH AND RTB WITH NO FURTHER PROB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 368315: POSSIBLE THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. IT MAY ALSO BE THAT THE HATCH, WHICH WAS PROBABLY OVER 50 YRS OLD, HAD UNDISCOVERED FLAWS. THOUGH NOT A NORMAL PREFLT ITEM, PLTS OF OLDER ACFT MIGHT BE WELL ADVISED TO CHK THE SECURITY OF WINDOWS, DOORS AND HATCHES, AND OTHER PARTS THAT MIGHT EITHER BECOME AGE WEAKENED OR ARE SUBJECT TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION.

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.

B25 takeoff runway 15. At rotation escape hatch departed the aircraft landing on intersection both runways. Field was closed for 45 mins to clean up debris. Aircraft continued on its photo mission.