Small transport pilot on part 135 flight diverts when door comes open in flight.

Attributes
ACN	167487
Time
Date	199101
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : kyu
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 2800
ASRS Report	167487
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route on a passenger carrying scheduled 135 operation the lower half of the small transport cabin door came open in flight--cause undetermined. Possibly closer preflight inspection could have revealed mechanical irregularities. Pilot diverted to airfield a couple of minutes away. Inspected door for damage--none apparent. Continued flight to final destination. Reflecting back, continuing the flight could be construed as violation as the door should have been inspected by licensed mechanic and an airworthiness release signed before further flight. Prevention: older small transport's have a history of doors opening in flight. Recurrence suggests modifying locking mechanism an installing warning lights.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT ON PART 135 FLT DIVERTS WHEN DOOR COMES OPEN IN FLT.

Narrative: ENRTE ON A PAX CARRYING SCHEDULED 135 OPERATION THE LOWER HALF OF THE SMT CABIN DOOR CAME OPEN IN FLT--CAUSE UNDETERMINED. POSSIBLY CLOSER PREFLT INSPECTION COULD HAVE REVEALED MECHANICAL IRREGULARITIES. PLT DIVERTED TO AIRFIELD A COUPLE OF MINUTES AWAY. INSPECTED DOOR FOR DAMAGE--NONE APPARENT. CONTINUED FLT TO FINAL DEST. REFLECTING BACK, CONTINUING THE FLT COULD BE CONSTRUED AS VIOLATION AS THE DOOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSPECTED BY LICENSED MECH AND AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE SIGNED BEFORE FURTHER FLT. PREVENTION: OLDER SMT'S HAVE A HISTORY OF DOORS OPENING IN FLT. RECURRENCE SUGGESTS MODIFYING LOCKING MECHANISM AN INSTALLING WARNING LIGHTS.

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.