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BE23 pilot lost aircraft control after the door popped open to the trail position. The pilot went from 7000 ft to 1300 ft and was unable to control heading.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 583171 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200306 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sua.airport |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Sundowner 23 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 578 flight time type : 380 |
| ASRS Report | 583171 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : regained aircraft control other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
IFR flight conducted in IMC from hwo to sfb. Approximately 1 hour into flight, pilot's door blew open. Aircraft immediately started yawing and aircraft went into an uncontrollable slip. Aircraft descended from assigned altitude of 7000 ft to approximately 1300 ft before control was regained. Heading was not controllable. Control was regained after reducing airspeed to approximately 80 KIAS. Efforts to close the door were futile. ZMA was in contact at all times however, due to cabin noise, hearing was severely impaired. Center vectored aircraft to sua and landing was effected without further incident. Inspection of door found that top latching pin in door was loose. Adjusting the pin remedied the problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BE23 PLT LOST ACFT CTL AFTER THE DOOR POPPED OPEN TO THE TRAIL POSITION. THE PLT WENT FROM 7000 FT TO 1300 FT AND WAS UNABLE TO CTL HDG.
Narrative: IFR FLT CONDUCTED IN IMC FROM HWO TO SFB. APPROX 1 HR INTO FLT, PLT'S DOOR BLEW OPEN. ACFT IMMEDIATELY STARTED YAWING AND ACFT WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE SLIP. ACFT DSNDED FROM ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT TO APPROX 1300 FT BEFORE CTL WAS REGAINED. HEADING WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE. CTL WAS REGAINED AFTER REDUCING AIRSPD TO APPROX 80 KIAS. EFFORTS TO CLOSE THE DOOR WERE FUTILE. ZMA WAS IN CONTACT AT ALL TIMES HOWEVER, DUE TO CABIN NOISE, HEARING WAS SEVERELY IMPAIRED. CTR VECTORED ACFT TO SUA AND LNDG WAS EFFECTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. INSPECTION OF DOOR FOUND THAT TOP LATCHING PIN IN DOOR WAS LOOSE. ADJUSTING THE PIN REMEDIED THE PROB.
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.