DC8 cargo flight has cargo door open at 4500 ft. Emergency declared and vectors received to return l...

Attributes
ACN	373706
Time
Date	199707
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tol
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tol tower : tol tower : gdl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 6800
ASRS Report	373706
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On july 1997, while operating a DC8 as cargo flight from toledo express airport to atlanta hartsfield, the main cargo door came open in-flight. After performing all normal checklists, we were cleared for takeoff, and climbed normally to 3000 ft AGL, the minimum altitude for turning en route at toledo. We were cleared direct to rosewood VOR, all checklists were completed, and as we accelerated to 240-250 KTS, climbing through 4500 ft, the second cabin turbo compressor was turned on. At this point, a very loud bang was heard from the cargo bay, followed by moderate yawing of the aircraft, and loud wind noise. I immediately slowed the aircraft to 210 KTS, (vzf) and directed the first officer to declare an emergency, and request vectors to return to the airport. The aircraft was quite stable in-flight, slipping slightly to the right, however any bank more than about 3 degrees closed the cargo door temporarily. The approach was flown at normal speeds and the flight concluded without further incident. The cargo door and related system sustained substantial damage. The rest of the aircraft was not damaged.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC8 CARGO FLT HAS CARGO DOOR OPEN AT 4500 FT. EMER DECLARED AND VECTORS RECEIVED TO RETURN LAND.

Narrative: ON JULY 1997, WHILE OPERATING A DC8 AS CARGO FLT FROM TOLEDO EXPRESS ARPT TO ATLANTA HARTSFIELD, THE MAIN CARGO DOOR CAME OPEN INFLT. AFTER PERFORMING ALL NORMAL CHKLISTS, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF, AND CLBED NORMALLY TO 3000 FT AGL, THE MINIMUM ALT FOR TURNING ENRTE AT TOLEDO. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO ROSEWOOD VOR, ALL CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED, AND AS WE ACCELERATED TO 240-250 KTS, CLBING THROUGH 4500 FT, THE SECOND CABIN TURBO COMPRESSOR WAS TURNED ON. AT THIS POINT, A VERY LOUD BANG WAS HEARD FROM THE CARGO BAY, FOLLOWED BY MODERATE YAWING OF THE ACFT, AND LOUD WIND NOISE. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED THE ACFT TO 210 KTS, (VZF) AND DIRECTED THE FO TO DECLARE AN EMER, AND REQUEST VECTORS TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. THE ACFT WAS QUITE STABLE INFLT, SLIPPING SLIGHTLY TO THE R, HOWEVER ANY BANK MORE THAN ABOUT 3 DEGS CLOSED THE CARGO DOOR TEMPORARILY. THE APCH WAS FLOWN AT NORMAL SPDS AND THE FLT CONCLUDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE CARGO DOOR AND RELATED SYS SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE REST OF THE ACFT WAS NOT DAMAGED.

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.

DC8 cargo flight has cargo door open at 4500 ft. Emergency declared and vectors received to return land.