An small aircraft pilot had his door open in-flight. He departed IMC for VMC and his assigned altitu...

Attributes
ACN	209181
Time
Date	199204
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : olm
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea tower : olm
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : sea
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	209181
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Departed pwt at XA42 on IFR flight plan. Climbed to assigned altitude 5000 ft, radar contact and idented by seattle departure 127.1, and in radio contact. Entered IMC between 4000-4500 during climb and was in solid IMC at 5000, which was the MEA. After leveling at 5000 at approximately XA50 the cabin door popped open with attendant noise, wind in cabin causing charts to flap and fly around and noticeable buffeting of the aircraft. To reduce buffeting I slowed the aircraft and lowered landing gear for stabilizing effect and notified departure controller of the problem. Through the ragged undercast I could see VFR conditions at 4500-4000 below and, to aid in resolving problem, allowed aircraft to descend to VMC conditions at 4000. I did not immediately request new altitude (4000 was below the MEA) but was talking with departure controller and was transmitting mode C. After stabilizing and slowing aircraft and entering VMC conditions, I reviewed the poh to determine seriousness of the situation, determined I could continue straight ahead approximately 15-20 NM and land straight ahead at olm, and advised controller. Controller cleared me to 3000, provided WX at olm (which was marginal) and ILS frequency and cleared me for straight-in ILS 17 at olm. He also asked if I was declaring an emergency. I advised I was not, after reviewing the poh to determine that I could safely continued to olm to land. I landed at olm closed and latched the door, and continued to olm to land. I landed at olm. Closed and latched the door, and continued the flight. I believe I was distraction by refueling personnel at pwt while in prestart checklist and did not confirm the door was completely latched, which is a checklist item.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT HAD HIS DOOR OPEN INFLT. HE DEPARTED IMC FOR VMC AND HIS ASSIGNED ALT FOR A LOWER ALT WITHOUT ATC CLRNC. HE LANDED SAFELY WITHOUT DAMAGE OR INJURY.

Narrative: DEPARTED PWT AT XA42 ON IFR FLT PLAN. CLBED TO ASSIGNED ALT 5000 FT, RADAR CONTACT AND IDENTED BY SEATTLE DEP 127.1, AND IN RADIO CONTACT. ENTERED IMC BTWN 4000-4500 DURING CLB AND WAS IN SOLID IMC AT 5000, WHICH WAS THE MEA. AFTER LEVELING AT 5000 AT APPROX XA50 THE CABIN DOOR POPPED OPEN WITH ATTENDANT NOISE, WIND IN CABIN CAUSING CHARTS TO FLAP AND FLY AROUND AND NOTICEABLE BUFFETING OF THE ACFT. TO REDUCE BUFFETING I SLOWED THE ACFT AND LOWERED LNDG GEAR FOR STABILIZING EFFECT AND NOTIFIED DEP CTLR OF THE PROBLEM. THROUGH THE RAGGED UNDERCAST I COULD SEE VFR CONDITIONS AT 4500-4000 BELOW AND, TO AID IN RESOLVING PROBLEM, ALLOWED ACFT TO DSND TO VMC CONDITIONS AT 4000. I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY REQUEST NEW ALT (4000 WAS BELOW THE MEA) BUT WAS TALKING WITH DEP CTLR AND WAS XMITTING MODE C. AFTER STABILIZING AND SLOWING ACFT AND ENTERING VMC CONDITIONS, I REVIEWED THE POH TO DETERMINE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION, DETERMINED I COULD CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD APPROX 15-20 NM AND LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD AT OLM, AND ADVISED CTLR. CTLR CLRED ME TO 3000, PROVIDED WX AT OLM (WHICH WAS MARGINAL) AND ILS FREQ AND CLRED ME FOR STRAIGHT-IN ILS 17 AT OLM. HE ALSO ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I ADVISED I WAS NOT, AFTER REVIEWING THE POH TO DETERMINE THAT I COULD SAFELY CONTINUED TO OLM TO LAND. I LANDED AT OLM CLOSED AND LATCHED THE DOOR, AND CONTINUED TO OLM TO LAND. I LANDED AT OLM. CLOSED AND LATCHED THE DOOR, AND CONTINUED THE FLT. I BELIEVE I WAS DISTR BY REFUELING PERSONNEL AT PWT WHILE IN PRESTART CHKLIST AND DID NOT CONFIRM THE DOOR WAS COMPLETELY LATCHED, WHICH IS A CHKLIST ITEM.

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.

An small aircraft pilot had his door open in-flight. He departed IMC for VMC and his assigned altitude for a lower altitude without ATC clearance. He landed safely without damage or injury.