Air carrier medium large transport passenger door came open after takeoff. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	158591
Time
Date	199009
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lex
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lex tower : lex
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 145 flight time total : 2900 flight time type : 145
ASRS Report	158591
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After takeoff from lexington, on climb out the passenger door opened. At 3000' MSL, I felt a depressurization in my ears, heard a whoosh sound and saw the passenger door open light come on. The captain leveled the aircraft and turned back towards the lexington airport. I notified ATC and lexington tower, and confirmed the passenger door was open with the F/as. We declared an in-flight emergency, completed emergency and normal checklists, notified our company, and landed runway 22 at lexington. Emergency equipment met the aircraft and immediately determined there were no hazards. No passenger evacuation was required. Passengers were deplaned as xportation was available. The aircraft emergency was terminated as we were towed off the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG PASSENGER DOOR CAME OPEN AFTER TKOF. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM LEXINGTON, ON CLBOUT THE PAX DOOR OPENED. AT 3000' MSL, I FELT A DEPRESSURIZATION IN MY EARS, HEARD A WHOOSH SOUND AND SAW THE PAX DOOR OPEN LIGHT COME ON. THE CAPT LEVELED THE ACFT AND TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE LEXINGTON ARPT. I NOTIFIED ATC AND LEXINGTON TWR, AND CONFIRMED THE PAX DOOR WAS OPEN WITH THE F/AS. WE DECLARED AN INFLT EMER, COMPLETED EMER AND NORMAL CHKLISTS, NOTIFIED OUR COMPANY, AND LANDED RWY 22 AT LEXINGTON. EMER EQUIP MET THE ACFT AND IMMEDIATELY DETERMINED THERE WERE NO HAZARDS. NO PAX EVACUATION WAS REQUIRED. PAXS WERE DEPLANED AS XPORTATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE ACFT EMER WAS TERMINATED AS WE WERE TOWED OFF THE RWY.

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.