Window and door blow out during flight.

Attributes
ACN	284461
Time
Date	199409
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfk
State Reference	ND
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4800 msl bound upper : 4800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Champion Citabria
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 9750
ASRS Report	284461
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The flight had completed a series of 5 selected aerobatic sequences involving loops, slow rolls, split south, hammerhead turns, spins, 4 point roll, cloverleaf, and horizontal 8's. The crew then began a review of selected maneuvers which had not been accomplished in the sequences. When performing the second slow rolling turn, as the aircraft approached the right knife edge the cabin door window blew out and the upper half of the door broke. It is believed that the upper door latches released during the roll. Inspection/replacement of the latches on. Each phase may have prevented them from opening, due to excessive wear/loosing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: during callback pilot better described how door and window flex outward anytime the fuselage is in a knife edge maneuver. The top side of the fuselage during the maneuver always flex in and out several times during the wing's vertical position. The door has 2 other latches that hold the door closed besides the latch for entry into the aircraft. Apparently as the aircraft ages from aerobatic maneuvering, these latches can fail from the stress placed on them from several flts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WINDOW AND DOOR BLOW OUT DURING FLT.

Narrative: THE FLT HAD COMPLETED A SERIES OF 5 SELECTED AEROBATIC SEQUENCES INVOLVING LOOPS, SLOW ROLLS, SPLIT S, HAMMERHEAD TURNS, SPINS, 4 POINT ROLL, CLOVERLEAF, AND HORIZ 8'S. THE CREW THEN BEGAN A REVIEW OF SELECTED MANEUVERS WHICH HAD NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN THE SEQUENCES. WHEN PERFORMING THE SECOND SLOW ROLLING TURN, AS THE ACFT APCHED THE R KNIFE EDGE THE CABIN DOOR WINDOW BLEW OUT AND THE UPPER HALF OF THE DOOR BROKE. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE UPPER DOOR LATCHES RELEASED DURING THE ROLL. INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT OF THE LATCHES ON. EACH PHASE MAY HAVE PREVENTED THEM FROM OPENING, DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR/LOOSING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: DURING CALLBACK PLT BETTER DESCRIBED HOW DOOR AND WINDOW FLEX OUTWARD ANYTIME THE FUSELAGE IS IN A KNIFE EDGE MANEUVER. THE TOP SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE DURING THE MANEUVER ALWAYS FLEX IN AND OUT SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE WING'S VERT POS. THE DOOR HAS 2 OTHER LATCHES THAT HOLD THE DOOR CLOSED BESIDES THE LATCH FOR ENTRY INTO THE ACFT. APPARENTLY AS THE ACFT AGES FROM AEROBATIC MANEUVERING, THESE LATCHES CAN FAIL FROM THE STRESS PLACED ON THEM FROM SEVERAL FLTS.

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.