Door blew open and off aircraft after takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	192706
Time
Date	199110
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fkn
State Reference	VA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	192706
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

In preparation for flight I closed the door and gave a briefing to passenger. When I reached the cockpit the captain had started the checklist. We usually do it all with both pilots in their seats. The captain had passed the door safe check and gave me the checklist at engine starting. After the problem with the door he said he did not remember checking the door safe light, thus we missed a critical check to see if the door closed properly. Later during taxi there is an annunciator recall check, which was interrupted by a radio call to landing traffic (uncontrolled airport). I do not remember seeing the door unsafe light. We do not know if it was on and I overlooked it or if the door was ok at this point. We made a normal takeoff and at 4000 ft we began to hear an air leak. It rapidly got louder. We turned back to field and were going to depress but the door blew open before we could do it. Landing was normal and there were no injuries. Could we have caught the door failure by better checklist discipline? Was it ok -- and we did do the check -- I can't remember! Lessons: stick to standard procedures. Look and see when you do the checklist. Expect to see a problem so you don't look and not see a problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DOOR BLEW OPEN AND OFF ACFT AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: IN PREPARATION FOR FLT I CLOSED THE DOOR AND GAVE A BRIEFING TO PAX. WHEN I REACHED THE COCKPIT THE CAPT HAD STARTED THE CHKLIST. WE USUALLY DO IT ALL WITH BOTH PLTS IN THEIR SEATS. THE CAPT HAD PASSED THE DOOR SAFE CHK AND GAVE ME THE CHKLIST AT ENG STARTING. AFTER THE PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR HE SAID HE DID NOT REMEMBER CHKING THE DOOR SAFE LIGHT, THUS WE MISSED A CRITICAL CHK TO SEE IF THE DOOR CLOSED PROPERLY. LATER DURING TAXI THERE IS AN ANNUNCIATOR RECALL CHK, WHICH WAS INTERRUPTED BY A RADIO CALL TO LNDG TFC (UNCTLED ARPT). I DO NOT REMEMBER SEEING THE DOOR UNSAFE LIGHT. WE DO NOT KNOW IF IT WAS ON AND I OVERLOOKED IT OR IF THE DOOR WAS OK AT THIS POINT. WE MADE A NORMAL TKOF AND AT 4000 FT WE BEGAN TO HEAR AN AIR LEAK. IT RAPIDLY GOT LOUDER. WE TURNED BACK TO FIELD AND WERE GOING TO DEPRESS BUT THE DOOR BLEW OPEN BEFORE WE COULD DO IT. LNDG WAS NORMAL AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. COULD WE HAVE CAUGHT THE DOOR FAILURE BY BETTER CHKLIST DISCIPLINE? WAS IT OK -- AND WE DID DO THE CHK -- I CAN'T REMEMBER! LESSONS: STICK TO STANDARD PROCS. LOOK AND SEE WHEN YOU DO THE CHKLIST. EXPECT TO SEE A PROBLEM SO YOU DON'T LOOK AND NOT SEE A PROBLEM.

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.