<< >> NASA ASRS Report 578866, April 2003

A cessna 650 on descent at FL350 heard a loud noise and felt rudder pedal movement. On taxi in the tower advised crew aft cargo door missing.

Attributes
ACN	578866
Time
Date	200304
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zla.artcc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation III, VI, VII
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	578510
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : door warning indication
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While on descent, a loud noise was heard and the rudder pedals moved. Then, everything was normal, but we showed a door unlock light. The descent and landing were normal. While taxiing to parking, ground control told us we were missing a baggage door. Upon inspection, we found the rear baggage entry door missing -- cause unknown. The flight had been going for about 1 hour before we experienced the bang that apparently was the door leaving the aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the left aft cargo compartment door departed the aircraft and has not been recovered. The reporter said the first officer's preflight inspection was accomplished with no indication of the door being unlocked and the door warning system operated normally. The reporter stated the aircraft incurred minor damage with a crease in the rudder and some paint scratches. The reporter said the FAA has made no contact with the reporter.

Related reports:

• An MD80 experiences some sharp movement of aircraft during d...
• Immediate descent from FL410 to FL370 requested by the PIC o...
• CRJ200 flight crew discovers that the right engine is unresp...
• An A319 developed an uncommanded rudder movement during desc...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 650 ON DSCNT AT FL350 HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT RUDDER PEDAL MOVEMENT. ON TAXI IN THE TWR ADVISED CREW AFT CARGO DOOR MISSING.

Narrative: WHILE ON DSCNT, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE RUDDER PEDALS MOVED. THEN, EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL, BUT WE SHOWED A DOOR UNLOCK LIGHT. THE DSCNT AND LNDG WERE NORMAL. WHILE TAXIING TO PARKING, GND CTL TOLD US WE WERE MISSING A BAGGAGE DOOR. UPON INSPECTION, WE FOUND THE REAR BAGGAGE ENTRY DOOR MISSING -- CAUSE UNKNOWN. THE FLT HAD BEEN GOING FOR ABOUT 1 HR BEFORE WE EXPERIENCED THE BANG THAT APPARENTLY WAS THE DOOR LEAVING THE ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE L AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT DOOR DEPARTED THE ACFT AND HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED. THE RPTR SAID THE FO'S PREFLT INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH NO INDICATION OF THE DOOR BEING UNLOCKED AND THE DOOR WARNING SYS OPERATED NORMALLY. THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT INCURRED MINOR DAMAGE WITH A CREASE IN THE RUDDER AND SOME PAINT SCRATCHES. THE RPTR SAID THE FAA HAS MADE NO CONTACT WITH THE RPTR.

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.