Narrative:

On jan/xa/99 we were en route from denver, co, to grand canyon on an IFR flight plan. We were in vicinity of alamosa VOR when front baggage compartment door opened. We requested vectors to the closest airport, which happened to be spanish peaks, 4v1. When we landed there, we found out that the nearest a&P is 50 mi away. After a closer look at the door, we concluded that we can still close it and keep it shut with some wire and duct tape made available by a fellow pilot who happened to land there shortly after us. At that time neither did I realize the seriousness of the situation nor did I realize the legal ramifications, ie, the need to obtain a&P approval on such repair backed by 1 time ferry permit. We continued safely to montgomery field in san diego, ca, making a full stop in flagstaff, az. As I said, the seriousness of the situation and the fact that I handled it improperly did not occur to me until I arranged for repairs in san diego and consulted mechanics there. I was then also questioned about the door damage and repairs I made by local FAA inspectors, who brought to my attention the lack of proper documents and improper handling of the situation. As a result of the ramp check, I am facing possible FAA enforcement action. The consultation with mechanics and later conversation with FAA inspectors made me realize how I misjudged the extent of the damage and danger which it created. I definitely learned the lesson that using common sense in solving a problem whether some fix is airworthy or not can lead to very serious consequences. Now, I also realize that I am in no position (aside from legal issues, which I overlooked) to judge technicalities using common sense or any other sense for that matter, as it is the responsibility of a properly licensed a&P. I realize the mistake or rather mistakes I made, and I see the room for such in the future.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA TWIN DIVERTED TO LAND AFTER THE FRONT BAGGAGE DOOR CAME OPEN IN CRUISE FLT. AFTER LNDG THE PLT WIRED AND TAPED THE DOOR SHUT, SINCE THERE WAS NO MECH REASONABLY AVAILABLE TO INSPECT THE ACFT OR MAKE REPAIRS, AND TOOK OFF FOR HIS HOME BASE. HE OPERATED THE ACFT WITHOUT A MECH'S AUTH OR A FERRY PERMIT.

Narrative: ON JAN/XA/99 WE WERE ENRTE FROM DENVER, CO, TO GRAND CANYON ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. WE WERE IN VICINITY OF ALAMOSA VOR WHEN FRONT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR OPENED. WE REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE CLOSEST ARPT, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE SPANISH PEAKS, 4V1. WHEN WE LANDED THERE, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE NEAREST A&P IS 50 MI AWAY. AFTER A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DOOR, WE CONCLUDED THAT WE CAN STILL CLOSE IT AND KEEP IT SHUT WITH SOME WIRE AND DUCT TAPE MADE AVAILABLE BY A FELLOW PLT WHO HAPPENED TO LAND THERE SHORTLY AFTER US. AT THAT TIME NEITHER DID I REALIZE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SIT NOR DID I REALIZE THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS, IE, THE NEED TO OBTAIN A&P APPROVAL ON SUCH REPAIR BACKED BY 1 TIME FERRY PERMIT. WE CONTINUED SAFELY TO MONTGOMERY FIELD IN SAN DIEGO, CA, MAKING A FULL STOP IN FLAGSTAFF, AZ. AS I SAID, THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SIT AND THE FACT THAT I HANDLED IT IMPROPERLY DID NOT OCCUR TO ME UNTIL I ARRANGED FOR REPAIRS IN SAN DIEGO AND CONSULTED MECHS THERE. I WAS THEN ALSO QUESTIONED ABOUT THE DOOR DAMAGE AND REPAIRS I MADE BY LCL FAA INSPECTORS, WHO BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THE LACK OF PROPER DOCUMENTS AND IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE SIT. AS A RESULT OF THE RAMP CHK, I AM FACING POSSIBLE FAA ENFORCEMENT ACTION. THE CONSULTATION WITH MECHS AND LATER CONVERSATION WITH FAA INSPECTORS MADE ME REALIZE HOW I MISJUDGED THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE AND DANGER WHICH IT CREATED. I DEFINITELY LEARNED THE LESSON THAT USING COMMON SENSE IN SOLVING A PROB WHETHER SOME FIX IS AIRWORTHY OR NOT CAN LEAD TO VERY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. NOW, I ALSO REALIZE THAT I AM IN NO POS (ASIDE FROM LEGAL ISSUES, WHICH I OVERLOOKED) TO JUDGE TECHNICALITIES USING COMMON SENSE OR ANY OTHER SENSE FOR THAT MATTER, AS IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A PROPERLY LICENSED A&P. I REALIZE THE MISTAKE OR RATHER MISTAKES I MADE, AND I SEE THE ROOM FOR SUCH IN THE FUTURE.

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.