A B727-200 flight crew is distracted by an unusual external noise during their last 1000 ft of descent towards 11000 ft. The aircraft overshoots the altitude by 300 ft. On the ground it was found that the exterior communication panel door blew off its hinges.

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Attributes
ACN	395053
Time
Date	199802
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10700 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	395053
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	394735
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While on a descent into atl, we were cleared from 12000 ft to 11000 ft. We were descending at approximately 1200 FPM. The autoplt was engaged. At approximately 11500 ft MSL, our aircraft experienced a loud 'bang,' followed by a buzzing noise and a vibration. While we were trying to determine the cause of our problem, we were temporarily distracted from our aircraft's altitude. Our first officer noticed our altitude and called out 'altitude 11000 ft, 11000 ft.' our captain took control from the autoplt and recovered back to 11000 ft. Our altitude deviation was only momentary and our deviation was approximately 300 ft below our assigned altitude, to 10700 ft MSL. We continued into atl. Once at the gate we found our exterior communication panel door had departed our aircraft. The panel door hinges were still attached and extended into the airstream, thus, causing the buzzing noise and our vibration.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 FLC IS DISTRACTED BY AN UNUSUAL EXTERNAL NOISE DURING THEIR LAST 1000 FT OF DSCNT TOWARDS 11000 FT. THE ACFT OVERSHOOTS THE ALT BY 300 FT. ON THE GND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE EXTERIOR COM PANEL DOOR BLEW OFF ITS HINGES.

Narrative: WHILE ON A DSCNT INTO ATL, WE WERE CLRED FROM 12000 FT TO 11000 FT. WE WERE DSNDING AT APPROX 1200 FPM. THE AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED. AT APPROX 11500 FT MSL, OUR ACFT EXPERIENCED A LOUD 'BANG,' FOLLOWED BY A BUZZING NOISE AND A VIBRATION. WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF OUR PROB, WE WERE TEMPORARILY DISTRACTED FROM OUR ACFT'S ALT. OUR FO NOTICED OUR ALT AND CALLED OUT 'ALT 11000 FT, 11000 FT.' OUR CAPT TOOK CTL FROM THE AUTOPLT AND RECOVERED BACK TO 11000 FT. OUR ALTDEV WAS ONLY MOMENTARY AND OUR DEV WAS APPROX 300 FT BELOW OUR ASSIGNED ALT, TO 10700 FT MSL. WE CONTINUED INTO ATL. ONCE AT THE GATE WE FOUND OUR EXTERIOR COM PANEL DOOR HAD DEPARTED OUR ACFT. THE PANEL DOOR HINGES WERE STILL ATTACHED AND EXTENDED INTO THE AIRSTREAM, THUS, CAUSING THE BUZZING NOISE AND OUR VIBRATION.

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.