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A BE95 CFI pilot complains of aircraft design problems and ATC inquires as he makes a difficult return land after the aircraft's door opens in-flight 8 mi southeast of fay, nc.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 506782 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200104 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : fay.vor |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3508 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : fay.tracon tracon : lfff.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Travelair 95 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | approach : straight in |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1160 flight time type : 70 |
| ASRS Report | 506782 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed as precaution |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : fay.tower |
Narrative:
After a VFR departure from fay runway 22, I was leveling off in cruise flight at 3500 ft MSL. The passenger door then opened. I reported this event to fay departure, who was providing VFR flight following at the time. I was handed off to fay tower, who asked if I required any assistance. I declined and requested a straight-in landing for runway 28, which I received. On short final, the controller started making inquiries as to the nature of the problem. I made a response that was brief, but along the lines of 'the door blew open.' conclusions: 1) certain early models of beechcraft airplanes seem especially prone to this problem. Specifically, the BE95, BE33, BE35, BE36, BE55, and BE58. When the door opens in-flight, it creates some pitch control issues and buffeting of the elevator. 2) tower should not make xmissions to aircraft on 1/4 mi final or less unless there is a critical situation or an emergency. This is an unneeded distraction for the pilot. 3) the tower should have obtained this information from the departure controller rather than distracting an already busy pilot.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A BE95 CFI PLT COMPLAINS OF ACFT DESIGN PROBS AND ATC INQUIRES AS HE MAKES A DIFFICULT RETURN LAND AFTER THE ACFT'S DOOR OPENS INFLT 8 MI SE OF FAY, NC.
Narrative: AFTER A VFR DEP FROM FAY RWY 22, I WAS LEVELING OFF IN CRUISE FLT AT 3500 FT MSL. THE PAX DOOR THEN OPENED. I RPTED THIS EVENT TO FAY DEP, WHO WAS PROVIDING VFR FLT FOLLOWING AT THE TIME. I WAS HANDED OFF TO FAY TWR, WHO ASKED IF I REQUIRED ANY ASSISTANCE. I DECLINED AND REQUESTED A STRAIGHT-IN LNDG FOR RWY 28, WHICH I RECEIVED. ON SHORT FINAL, THE CTLR STARTED MAKING INQUIRIES AS TO THE NATURE OF THE PROB. I MADE A RESPONSE THAT WAS BRIEF, BUT ALONG THE LINES OF 'THE DOOR BLEW OPEN.' CONCLUSIONS: 1) CERTAIN EARLY MODELS OF BEECHCRAFT AIRPLANES SEEM ESPECIALLY PRONE TO THIS PROB. SPECIFICALLY, THE BE95, BE33, BE35, BE36, BE55, AND BE58. WHEN THE DOOR OPENS INFLT, IT CREATES SOME PITCH CTL ISSUES AND BUFFETING OF THE ELEVATOR. 2) TWR SHOULD NOT MAKE XMISSIONS TO ACFT ON 1/4 MI FINAL OR LESS UNLESS THERE IS A CRITICAL SIT OR AN EMER. THIS IS AN UNNEEDED DISTR FOR THE PLT. 3) THE TWR SHOULD HAVE OBTAINED THIS INFO FROM THE DEP CTLR RATHER THAN DISTRACTING AN ALREADY BUSY PLT.
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.