Emergency exit door fell off commuter aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	105178
Time
Date	198902
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hnl
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : hnl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 4675 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	105178
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While on a schedule flight from lanai, hi, to hnl, cruising at 4500' MSL I called hnl approach about 35 mi southeast of hnl. I was on a federal arwy V2 hnl, approach issued me clearance into the hnl TCA. About 30 mi southeast of hnl I started my descent from 4500' MSL to 1000' MSL. Approaching 2500' MSL at an airspeed of 170 KTS I heard a large explosion. The right side emergency exit blew out striking the right wing and right rear stabilizer. It took a few moments to get the aircraft under control due to the rapid pressure change and the exit striking the wing and stabilizer. I then checked the condition of my passenger (6). No injuries. I then called hnl approach and declared an emergency. I was cleared direct to hnl via radar vector. Hnl had the emergency equipment ready for my landing. The landing in hnl was uneventful. I terminated the emergency upon landing. This aircraft had just come out of rust proofing few months earlier. The emergency exit of this aircraft was replaced with one from another aircraft that was turned to scrap because of age. I feel that this may have contributed to the incident. All the pins and clips appear to be in place during preflight and post accident inspection. As the PIC, I feel that I had done all that I could do to get the aircraft back to hnl safely. Calming down the passenger was the hardest thing to do.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMERGENCY EXIT DOOR FELL OFF COMMUTER ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE ON A SCHEDULE FLT FROM LANAI, HI, TO HNL, CRUISING AT 4500' MSL I CALLED HNL APCH ABOUT 35 MI SE OF HNL. I WAS ON A FEDERAL ARWY V2 HNL, APCH ISSUED ME CLRNC INTO THE HNL TCA. ABOUT 30 MI SE OF HNL I STARTED MY DSCNT FROM 4500' MSL TO 1000' MSL. APCHING 2500' MSL AT AN AIRSPD OF 170 KTS I HEARD A LARGE EXPLOSION. THE RIGHT SIDE EMER EXIT BLEW OUT STRIKING THE RIGHT WING AND RIGHT REAR STABILIZER. IT TOOK A FEW MOMENTS TO GET THE ACFT UNDER CTL DUE TO THE RAPID PRESSURE CHANGE AND THE EXIT STRIKING THE WING AND STABILIZER. I THEN CHKED THE CONDITION OF MY PAX (6). NO INJURIES. I THEN CALLED HNL APCH AND DECLARED AN EMER. I WAS CLRED DIRECT TO HNL VIA RADAR VECTOR. HNL HAD THE EMER EQUIP READY FOR MY LNDG. THE LNDG IN HNL WAS UNEVENTFUL. I TERMINATED THE EMER UPON LNDG. THIS ACFT HAD JUST COME OUT OF RUST PROOFING FEW MONTHS EARLIER. THE EMER EXIT OF THIS ACFT WAS REPLACED WITH ONE FROM ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS TURNED TO SCRAP BECAUSE OF AGE. I FEEL THAT THIS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT. ALL THE PINS AND CLIPS APPEAR TO BE IN PLACE DURING PREFLT AND POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION. AS THE PIC, I FEEL THAT I HAD DONE ALL THAT I COULD DO TO GET THE ACFT BACK TO HNL SAFELY. CALMING DOWN THE PAX WAS THE HARDEST THING TO DO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.