Floatplane pilot has door open in flight.

Attributes
ACN	119725
Time
Date	198908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clm airport : ywh
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	119725
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Flying an small transport floatplane on a scheduled flight. On previous leg, right passenger door opened approximately 1', kept streamlined by airflow. Passenger was easily able to shut door. On final leg of trip to origin, same door opened in some light turbulence. Passenger had more difficulty in shutting but was successful. Prior to departure of the final leg, pilot informed passenger that should a door open in flight, not to be alarmed, that airflow could prevent it from opening, and that it could easily be shut. Pilot informed operations of problem after departing on final leg, and after in-flight opening, pilot also secured and checked door latch for security prior to departure of final leg. Maintenance adjusted door latch upon completion of flight. The flight was running 1 hour late, and had more time been available, pilot might have been able to troubleshoot problem. Reporting this to encourage pilots to make most conservative decisions regarding potential safety problems in equipment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLOATPLANE PLT HAS DOOR OPEN IN FLT.

Narrative: FLYING AN SMT FLOATPLANE ON A SCHEDULED FLT. ON PREVIOUS LEG, RIGHT PAX DOOR OPENED APPROX 1', KEPT STREAMLINED BY AIRFLOW. PAX WAS EASILY ABLE TO SHUT DOOR. ON FINAL LEG OF TRIP TO ORIGIN, SAME DOOR OPENED IN SOME LIGHT TURBULENCE. PAX HAD MORE DIFFICULTY IN SHUTTING BUT WAS SUCCESSFUL. PRIOR TO DEP OF THE FINAL LEG, PLT INFORMED PAX THAT SHOULD A DOOR OPEN IN FLT, NOT TO BE ALARMED, THAT AIRFLOW COULD PREVENT IT FROM OPENING, AND THAT IT COULD EASILY BE SHUT. PLT INFORMED OPERATIONS OF PROBLEM AFTER DEPARTING ON FINAL LEG, AND AFTER INFLT OPENING, PLT ALSO SECURED AND CHECKED DOOR LATCH FOR SECURITY PRIOR TO DEP OF FINAL LEG. MAINT ADJUSTED DOOR LATCH UPON COMPLETION OF FLT. THE FLT WAS RUNNING 1 HR LATE, AND HAD MORE TIME BEEN AVAILABLE, PLT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TROUBLESHOOT PROBLEM. REPORTING THIS TO ENCOURAGE PLTS TO MAKE MOST CONSERVATIVE DECISIONS REGARDING POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEMS IN EQUIPMENT.

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.