Narrative:

At approximately XA50 local time on air carrier flight XXX from bfi on route to wxw, united states aircraft xyz experienced a component failure of the cargo 'belly' pod door. During a prior flight in this aircraft, I noted the forward cam-lock latch was not as firm in the secure and locked position as the rear cam-lock latch. I planned on service by a ZZZ maintenance technician on my next trip through ZZZ, united states, where our maintenance facility is located and flight operations are centralized. While in the cruise portion of this flight, a vibration developed and was followed approximately 5-10 seconds later by a 'thump' from the cargo belly pod door location and the vibration ceased. As I could not visually verify the departure of the door due to my position in the aircraft, I contacted a nearby company aircraft and requested a visual inspection of the exterior of my aircraft for any indications that continuation of the flight or an attempted landing could exacerbate the situation. After communicating on a discrete frequency to coordinate the rendezvous it was agreed that we would not engage in formation flight as both aircraft contained passenger yet passing in a closer proximity of about 1/2 mi was necessary to insure an adequate visual inspection. In statements to company management the pilot of the other aircraft made flippant remarks (in reference to far 91.3(B) deviation authority/authorized) of being as close as 100 ft apart. I disagree with these statements and judge our distances during both passes to have been no closer than 1/4 NM and non-existence of an emergency. The exterior inspection yield confirmation that only the forward portion of the cargo belly pod door had departed the aircraft and no other indication of damage existed. After assessment of the situation, passenger destination and contract maintenance availability in wxw, I contacted company dispatch and informed them I had a problem and it was my judgement to continue the flight to wxw. The dispatcher on duty acknowledged and made no further inquiry. The subsequent arrival and landing were uneventful, an entry was made in the aircraft maintenance log and the aircraft was grounded for needed repairs in wxw, united states.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 406 IN CRUISE AT 4500 FT HAD THE LOWER CARGO POD FORWARD DOOR DEPART THE ACFT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA50 LCL TIME ON ACR FLT XXX FROM BFI ON RTE TO WXW, UNITED STATES ACFT XYZ EXPERIENCED A COMPONENT FAILURE OF THE CARGO 'BELLY' POD DOOR. DURING A PRIOR FLT IN THIS ACFT, I NOTED THE FORWARD CAM-LOCK LATCH WAS NOT AS FIRM IN THE SECURE AND LOCKED POS AS THE REAR CAM-LOCK LATCH. I PLANNED ON SVC BY A ZZZ MAINT TECHNICIAN ON MY NEXT TRIP THROUGH ZZZ, UNITED STATES, WHERE OUR MAINT FACILITY IS LOCATED AND FLT OPS ARE CENTRALIZED. WHILE IN THE CRUISE PORTION OF THIS FLT, A VIBRATION DEVELOPED AND WAS FOLLOWED APPROX 5-10 SECONDS LATER BY A 'THUMP' FROM THE CARGO BELLY POD DOOR LOCATION AND THE VIBRATION CEASED. AS I COULD NOT VISUALLY VERIFY THE DEP OF THE DOOR DUE TO MY POS IN THE ACFT, I CONTACTED A NEARBY COMPANY ACFT AND REQUESTED A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE EXTERIOR OF MY ACFT FOR ANY INDICATIONS THAT CONTINUATION OF THE FLT OR AN ATTEMPTED LNDG COULD EXACERBATE THE SIT. AFTER COMMUNICATING ON A DISCRETE FREQ TO COORDINATE THE RENDEZVOUS IT WAS AGREED THAT WE WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN FORMATION FLT AS BOTH ACFT CONTAINED PAX YET PASSING IN A CLOSER PROX OF ABOUT 1/2 MI WAS NECESSARY TO INSURE AN ADEQUATE VISUAL INSPECTION. IN STATEMENTS TO COMPANY MGMNT THE PLT OF THE OTHER ACFT MADE FLIPPANT REMARKS (IN REF TO FAR 91.3(B) DEV AUTH) OF BEING AS CLOSE AS 100 FT APART. I DISAGREE WITH THESE STATEMENTS AND JUDGE OUR DISTANCES DURING BOTH PASSES TO HAVE BEEN NO CLOSER THAN 1/4 NM AND NON-EXISTENCE OF AN EMER. THE EXTERIOR INSPECTION YIELD CONFIRMATION THAT ONLY THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE CARGO BELLY POD DOOR HAD DEPARTED THE ACFT AND NO OTHER INDICATION OF DAMAGE EXISTED. AFTER ASSESSMENT OF THE SIT, PAX DEST AND CONTRACT MAINT AVAILABILITY IN WXW, I CONTACTED COMPANY DISPATCH AND INFORMED THEM I HAD A PROB AND IT WAS MY JUDGEMENT TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO WXW. THE DISPATCHER ON DUTY ACKNOWLEDGED AND MADE NO FURTHER INQUIRY. THE SUBSEQUENT ARR AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL, AN ENTRY WAS MADE IN THE ACFT MAINT LOG AND THE ACFT WAS GNDED FOR NEEDED REPAIRS IN WXW, UNITED STATES.

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.