BE20 crew had a rapid decompression in ZID class a airspace.

Attributes
ACN	517422
Time
Date	200107
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : day.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : charter
Make Model Name	Super King Air 200 HDC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 4850 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	517422
Person 2
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Climbing through FL200, aircraft experienced a rapid decompression. Flight crew donned oxygen and immediately requested an emergency descent due to decompression. ATC gave/assigned FL190 as PF began emergency descent, and PF stated we 'needed' lower. ATC advised unable due to traffic below, and asked what altitude was needed. PF said 12500 ft or lower. ATC approved 12500 ft. PF then requested 10000 ft. ATC approved 10000 ft and asked intentions. PF stated standby, crew was checking for suitable airport/checking options. Only issue noted: emergency descent may have violated FL190 before lower altitude was approved, however, emergency had already been declared. Decompression was determined (on the ground) to be caused by main cabin door seal blow-out and/or failure of one of the door's pins/bolts failure, causing top, leading (front) of door to extend about 3/4 inch into slipstream and depressurizing the cabin.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE20 CREW HAD A RAPID DECOMPRESSION IN ZID CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH FL200, ACFT EXPERIENCED A RAPID DECOMPRESSION. FLC DONNED OXYGEN AND IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED AN EMER DSCNT DUE TO DECOMPRESSION. ATC GAVE/ASSIGNED FL190 AS PF BEGAN EMER DSCNT, AND PF STATED WE 'NEEDED' LOWER. ATC ADVISED UNABLE DUE TO TFC BELOW, AND ASKED WHAT ALT WAS NEEDED. PF SAID 12500 FT OR LOWER. ATC APPROVED 12500 FT. PF THEN REQUESTED 10000 FT. ATC APPROVED 10000 FT AND ASKED INTENTIONS. PF STATED STANDBY, CREW WAS CHKING FOR SUITABLE ARPT/CHKING OPTIONS. ONLY ISSUE NOTED: EMER DSCNT MAY HAVE VIOLATED FL190 BEFORE LOWER ALT WAS APPROVED, HOWEVER, EMER HAD ALREADY BEEN DECLARED. DECOMPRESSION WAS DETERMINED (ON THE GND) TO BE CAUSED BY MAIN CABIN DOOR SEAL BLOW-OUT AND/OR FAILURE OF ONE OF THE DOOR'S PINS/BOLTS FAILURE, CAUSING TOP, LEADING (FRONT) OF DOOR TO EXTEND ABOUT 3/4 INCH INTO SLIPSTREAM AND DEPRESSURIZING THE CABIN.

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.