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A PA23 aztec flying through N90 airspace loses altitude and changes heading as the passenger door opens in-flight and results in debris distracting the pilot.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 412639 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : vfk |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-23-250 Aztec |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 412639 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
Being vectored and cleared through the new york class B, I received instructions to climb to 4500 ft. Just leveling off, the door of the aztec blew open. All the charts and papers from the attache case flew around the cabin of the aircraft. Also, the autoplt disengaged. While I was trying to fly the airplane, hold the door somewhat closed, and keep items from being blown out of the airplane, the airplane descended 500 ft and turned approximately 90 degrees left. With climb power, the door open, and the aircraft vibration, the airplane was extremely slow to regain the lost altitude. During this period, I did not let ATC know of the open door. ATC advised if I had seen another aircraft in my vicinity, which I did not. Once clear of the class B, I landed at the nearest airport and secured the door. A corrective action would have been to notify ATC and work out a plan of action.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PA23 AZTEC FLYING THROUGH N90 AIRSPACE LOSES ALT AND CHANGES HDG AS THE PAX DOOR OPENS INFLT AND RESULTS IN DEBRIS DISTRACTING THE PLT.
Narrative: BEING VECTORED AND CLRED THROUGH THE NEW YORK CLASS B, I RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB TO 4500 FT. JUST LEVELING OFF, THE DOOR OF THE AZTEC BLEW OPEN. ALL THE CHARTS AND PAPERS FROM THE ATTACHE CASE FLEW AROUND THE CABIN OF THE ACFT. ALSO, THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGED. WHILE I WAS TRYING TO FLY THE AIRPLANE, HOLD THE DOOR SOMEWHAT CLOSED, AND KEEP ITEMS FROM BEING BLOWN OUT OF THE AIRPLANE, THE AIRPLANE DSNDED 500 FT AND TURNED APPROX 90 DEGS L. WITH CLB PWR, THE DOOR OPEN, AND THE ACFT VIBRATION, THE AIRPLANE WAS EXTREMELY SLOW TO REGAIN THE LOST ALT. DURING THIS PERIOD, I DID NOT LET ATC KNOW OF THE OPEN DOOR. ATC ADVISED IF I HAD SEEN ANOTHER ACFT IN MY VICINITY, WHICH I DID NOT. ONCE CLR OF THE CLASS B, I LANDED AT THE NEAREST ARPT AND SECURED THE DOOR. A CORRECTIVE ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO NOTIFY ATC AND WORK OUT A PLAN OF ACTION.
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.