An air carrier E110-P1 had its aft cargo door come open during climb out. The flight crew looked at ...

Attributes
ACN	323877
Time
Date	199512
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : spn
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : spn
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB-110 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	323877
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On dec/mon/95 the aft cargo door opened in-flight and the aircraft was returned to saipan to be checked out by maintenance. The aircraft, an E110-P1, nxxxxx was dispatched on a ferry flight from saipan to tinian to pick up passenger. The crew started their duty day at XA00 and this happened at XL00 hours, the crew's duty day ended at XN30. This was also this crew's fourth day in a row of a 6 day schedule comprising of the same duty day. Tinian is only 7 mi from saipan and takes less than 6 mins per leg. The day can include as many as 28 legs. The company has the E110-P1 crews on a six on one off schedule. Walking out to the aircraft the crew visually checked that the tail stand was removed and that the cargo door was secured. The crew did not walk back and physically touch the latches. There were no ramp personnel to guide the aircraft out. Entering the aircraft the passenger door was secured and the engines were started. As always before starting the left engine, the door warning light was checked to be sure the light was out. As it was approaching sunset that light is very noticeable as it cannot be dimmed. While taxiing out for departure, the appropriate checklists were completed. After gear retraction a buffet was noticed in the aircraft. The master caution light started flashing and the door light under it came on. Visual inspection revealed that the aft cargo door was open and for obvious safety reasons it was decided to return to saipan. A normal landing was accomplished. The only damage was a panel on the cargo door that blew off. The aircraft was returned to service 45 mins later. The long days with many legs is probably the most contributing factor. The second most contributing factor is pilot fatigue. The E110-P1's air-conditioning is inadequate to cope with a short leg. The temperatures in the region are always in the low 90's and the humidity is very high. Cabin temperatures sometimes will get in excess of 40 degrees C. The only way that this could have occurred is if the cargo door latches were not fully latched, and a combination of vibration and slipstream opened the latches.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR E110-P1 HAD ITS AFT CARGO DOOR COME OPEN DURING CLBOUT. THE FLC LOOKED AT THE DOOR DURING THEIR PREFLT, BUT DID NOT INSPECT THE LATCHES. THE CREW WAS ABLE TO RETURN FOR A LNDG.

Narrative: ON DEC/MON/95 THE AFT CARGO DOOR OPENED INFLT AND THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SAIPAN TO BE CHKED OUT BY MAINT. THE ACFT, AN E110-P1, NXXXXX WAS DISPATCHED ON A FERRY FLT FROM SAIPAN TO TINIAN TO PICK UP PAX. THE CREW STARTED THEIR DUTY DAY AT XA00 AND THIS HAPPENED AT XL00 HRS, THE CREW'S DUTY DAY ENDED AT XN30. THIS WAS ALSO THIS CREW'S FOURTH DAY IN A ROW OF A 6 DAY SCHEDULE COMPRISING OF THE SAME DUTY DAY. TINIAN IS ONLY 7 MI FROM SAIPAN AND TAKES LESS THAN 6 MINS PER LEG. THE DAY CAN INCLUDE AS MANY AS 28 LEGS. THE COMPANY HAS THE E110-P1 CREWS ON A SIX ON ONE OFF SCHEDULE. WALKING OUT TO THE ACFT THE CREW VISUALLY CHKED THAT THE TAIL STAND WAS REMOVED AND THAT THE CARGO DOOR WAS SECURED. THE CREW DID NOT WALK BACK AND PHYSICALLY TOUCH THE LATCHES. THERE WERE NO RAMP PERSONNEL TO GUIDE THE ACFT OUT. ENTERING THE ACFT THE PAX DOOR WAS SECURED AND THE ENGS WERE STARTED. AS ALWAYS BEFORE STARTING THE L ENG, THE DOOR WARNING LIGHT WAS CHKED TO BE SURE THE LIGHT WAS OUT. AS IT WAS APCHING SUNSET THAT LIGHT IS VERY NOTICEABLE AS IT CANNOT BE DIMMED. WHILE TAXIING OUT FOR DEP, THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED. AFTER GEAR RETRACTION A BUFFET WAS NOTICED IN THE ACFT. THE MASTER CAUTION LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THE DOOR LIGHT UNDER IT CAME ON. VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE AFT CARGO DOOR WAS OPEN AND FOR OBVIOUS SAFETY REASONS IT WAS DECIDED TO RETURN TO SAIPAN. A NORMAL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS A PANEL ON THE CARGO DOOR THAT BLEW OFF. THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC 45 MINS LATER. THE LONG DAYS WITH MANY LEGS IS PROBABLY THE MOST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. THE SECOND MOST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS PLT FATIGUE. THE E110-P1'S AIR-CONDITIONING IS INADEQUATE TO COPE WITH A SHORT LEG. THE TEMPS IN THE REGION ARE ALWAYS IN THE LOW 90'S AND THE HUMIDITY IS VERY HIGH. CABIN TEMPS SOMETIMES WILL GET IN EXCESS OF 40 DEGS C. THE ONLY WAY THAT THIS COULD HAVE OCCURRED IS IF THE CARGO DOOR LATCHES WERE NOT FULLY LATCHED, AND A COMBINATION OF VIBRATION AND SLIPSTREAM OPENED THE LATCHES.

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 air carrier E110-P1 had its aft cargo door come open during climb out. The flight crew looked at the door during their preflight, but did not inspect the latches. The crew was able to return for a landing.