A BE59 pilot diverts to alternate after his passenger door came unlatched. He lost his charts and checklist. Reporter also created an altitude deviation.

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Attributes
ACN	397248
Time
Date	199803
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sli airport : cno
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4700 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : cno
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 58/58TC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	397248
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During cruise, the copilot door popped open. In addition, my charts flew out the door with the checklist. The frequency was busy and I noticed a broken layer below. I initiated a descent into VFR conditions and was about 200-300 ft below my assigned altitude before I was able to cancel IFR. I stayed on my transponder code and in 2-WAY contact with approach and then chino tower. The descent and landing were uneventful. No emergency was declared. It was very difficult to hear ATC and the door created a considerable amount of drag.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE59 PLT DIVERTS TO ALTERNATE AFTER HIS PAX DOOR CAME UNLATCHED. HE LOST HIS CHARTS AND CHKLIST. RPTR ALSO CREATED AN ALTDEV.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE, THE COPLT DOOR POPPED OPEN. IN ADDITION, MY CHARTS FLEW OUT THE DOOR WITH THE CHKLIST. THE FREQ WAS BUSY AND I NOTICED A BROKEN LAYER BELOW. I INITIATED A DSCNT INTO VFR CONDITIONS AND WAS ABOUT 200-300 FT BELOW MY ASSIGNED ALT BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO CANCEL IFR. I STAYED ON MY XPONDER CODE AND IN 2-WAY CONTACT WITH APCH AND THEN CHINO TWR. THE DSCNT AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. NO EMER WAS DECLARED. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO HEAR ATC AND THE DOOR CREATED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DRAG.

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.