Narrative:

Prior to departure I placed computer bag (brief case) in cargo compartment of PA28-180 and locked compartment door. After completing preflight I and 1 passenger boarded plane and departed pns. The flight was very smooth and uneventful until reaching the donaldsonville, GA, (17J), where we encounter what seemed to be mild turbulence causing the plane to change attitude briefly. Being surprised by the bump, passenger grabbed his door handle. At that point we immediately felt air and heard wind noise, but I thought that he had inadvertently opened his door. After I closed all vents and still had excessive air flow in plane I turned around and could see that cargo compartment door was open. I asked the passenger to reach back and make sure that nothing was falling out, but it was too late. The computer bag was gone. By this time we were flying over manager and continued flight to 15J. On arrival at 15J, I checked lock on cargo hatch door. It was still in locked position. The door was hanging open. One of the mgrs of the FBO came over and inspected lock and said he didn't know how it could have happened and didn't think he had insurance to cover the loss. Sunday morning I pursued the acquisition of this form and on apr/xc/96 contacted attorney for any further advice on recording this incident. At this point FBO is trying to blame me for not knowing that the lock on his door was defective. If this has occurred in past could I please be notified of instance and liability involved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE CARGO DOOR CAME OPEN IN CRUISE AND THE RPTR'S COMPUTER FELL OUT OF THE AIRPLANE.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP I PLACED COMPUTER BAG (BRIEF CASE) IN CARGO COMPARTMENT OF PA28-180 AND LOCKED COMPARTMENT DOOR. AFTER COMPLETING PREFLT I AND 1 PAX BOARDED PLANE AND DEPARTED PNS. THE FLT WAS VERY SMOOTH AND UNEVENTFUL UNTIL REACHING THE DONALDSONVILLE, GA, (17J), WHERE WE ENCOUNTER WHAT SEEMED TO BE MILD TURB CAUSING THE PLANE TO CHANGE ATTITUDE BRIEFLY. BEING SURPRISED BY THE BUMP, PAX GRABBED HIS DOOR HANDLE. AT THAT POINT WE IMMEDIATELY FELT AIR AND HEARD WIND NOISE, BUT I THOUGHT THAT HE HAD INADVERTENTLY OPENED HIS DOOR. AFTER I CLOSED ALL VENTS AND STILL HAD EXCESSIVE AIR FLOW IN PLANE I TURNED AROUND AND COULD SEE THAT CARGO COMPARTMENT DOOR WAS OPEN. I ASKED THE PAX TO REACH BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING WAS FALLING OUT, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THE COMPUTER BAG WAS GONE. BY THIS TIME WE WERE FLYING OVER MGR AND CONTINUED FLT TO 15J. ON ARR AT 15J, I CHKED LOCK ON CARGO HATCH DOOR. IT WAS STILL IN LOCKED POS. THE DOOR WAS HANGING OPEN. ONE OF THE MGRS OF THE FBO CAME OVER AND INSPECTED LOCK AND SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AND DIDN'T THINK HE HAD INSURANCE TO COVER THE LOSS. SUNDAY MORNING I PURSUED THE ACQUISITION OF THIS FORM AND ON APR/XC/96 CONTACTED ATTORNEY FOR ANY FURTHER ADVICE ON RECORDING THIS INCIDENT. AT THIS POINT FBO IS TRYING TO BLAME ME FOR NOT KNOWING THAT THE LOCK ON HIS DOOR WAS DEFECTIVE. IF THIS HAS OCCURRED IN PAST COULD I PLEASE BE NOTIFIED OF INSTANCE AND LIABILITY INVOLVED.

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.