Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	167045
Time
Date	199012
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ont
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7900 msl bound upper : 8300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	167045
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A simulated INS flight to maintain currency. Safety pilot for a local company, familiar with type aircraft, failed to latch door properly. After level-off at 8300' to practice approachs above arsa by adding 4000' to published altitudes, door popped open. We were in contact with ont approach and squawking a code, but well above arsa. They had asked us to maintain 8300'. While attempting to close the door, the safety pilot requested slowing to 90 KTS. I slowed to 90 KTS while maintaining altitude and heading, but he again repeated 'slow to 90.' noise, even with headsets, made communication difficult, so I continued to slow to 90 mph. He then asked me to reach over and latch the door when he pulled it tight. We did get the door closed, but then ont approach called and said we were at 7900' and he had traffic at 7000'. We informed him of our temporary problem and immediately climbed back to 8300'. Lessons learned: 1) I assumed a high time pilot knew how to latch the door properly and didn't check it. 2) trying to maintain an exact altitude at low airspeed while reaching to the other side of the cockpit difficult. We should just have shot an approach to a full stop and closed it on the ground, as I had suggested.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: A SIMULATED INS FLT TO MAINTAIN CURRENCY. SAFETY PLT FOR A LCL COMPANY, FAMILIAR WITH TYPE ACFT, FAILED TO LATCH DOOR PROPERLY. AFTER LEVEL-OFF AT 8300' TO PRACTICE APCHS ABOVE ARSA BY ADDING 4000' TO PUBLISHED ALTS, DOOR POPPED OPEN. WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH ONT APCH AND SQUAWKING A CODE, BUT WELL ABOVE ARSA. THEY HAD ASKED US TO MAINTAIN 8300'. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE DOOR, THE SAFETY PLT REQUESTED SLOWING TO 90 KTS. I SLOWED TO 90 KTS WHILE MAINTAINING ALT AND HDG, BUT HE AGAIN REPEATED 'SLOW TO 90.' NOISE, EVEN WITH HEADSETS, MADE COM DIFFICULT, SO I CONTINUED TO SLOW TO 90 MPH. HE THEN ASKED ME TO REACH OVER AND LATCH THE DOOR WHEN HE PULLED IT TIGHT. WE DID GET THE DOOR CLOSED, BUT THEN ONT APCH CALLED AND SAID WE WERE AT 7900' AND HE HAD TFC AT 7000'. WE INFORMED HIM OF OUR TEMPORARY PROB AND IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 8300'. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) I ASSUMED A HIGH TIME PLT KNEW HOW TO LATCH THE DOOR PROPERLY AND DIDN'T CHK IT. 2) TRYING TO MAINTAIN AN EXACT ALT AT LOW AIRSPD WHILE REACHING TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COCKPIT DIFFICULT. WE SHOULD JUST HAVE SHOT AN APCH TO A FULL STOP AND CLOSED IT ON THE GND, AS I HAD SUGGESTED.

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.