A hughes 500C on climb out at 500 ft 40 to 50 KTS airspeed the right door upper aft latch came unlat...

Attributes
ACN	598272
Time
Date	200311
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	MD Helicopter 500/C/D/E/L
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 730 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	598275
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 9100 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	598467
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other other other Other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was seated in co-pilot's (right front) seat. Aircraft was flown from ZZZ1 airport to ZZZ airport as a post-maintenance check flight and to purchase fuel. There was some difficulty with copilot's door latch mechanism at ZZZ1. But door was secured with assistance of ground personnel. Flight to ZZZ and refueling were uneventful. On departure from ZZZ, there was again difficulty securing co-pilot's door, but all latches were visually verified after 2 to 3 tries. Shortly after takeoff, at about 500 ft AGL and 40 to 50 KTS airspeed, upper aft latch point came unlatched and door came partially ajar. Informed pilot that door was ajar but that I would hold it shut (using door handle at aft end of door). A few seconds later, door came loose at hinges (fwd edge) and departed aircraft. Pilot immediately notified ZZZ tower and returned to ZZZ airport. Door subsequently recovered in residential area just west of airport with no injuries or damage to property on ground. Poor fitting doors with spring tension cable latching mechanisms are typical on older general aviation aircraft. In addition, this aircraft had quick release door hinges in accordance with stc which provide less positive security than the factory hinges. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated two factors contributed to the door departing the aircraft, the door latching consisting of spring cable latching mechanisms found on all older general aviation aircraft, forward door hinges were quick release type in accordance with an stc and believes the lower hinge pin lock failed allowing the hinge pin to slip out. The reporter said the quick release hinges installed by the stc provide less positive security than the manufacturer's hinges. The reporter stated this door was not worked on during the maintenance visit prior to the first flight of the day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HUGHES 500C ON CLBOUT AT 500 FT 40 TO 50 KTS AIRSPEED THE R DOOR UPPER AFT LATCH CAME UNLATCHED AND DOOR CAME LOOSE AT FORWARD HINGES AND DEPARTED THE ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS SEATED IN CO-PLT'S (RIGHT FRONT) SEAT. ACFT WAS FLOWN FROM ZZZ1 ARPT TO ZZZ ARPT AS A POST-MAINT CHK FLT AND TO PURCHASE FUEL. THERE WAS SOME DIFFICULTY WITH COPLT'S DOOR LATCH MECHANISM AT ZZZ1. BUT DOOR WAS SECURED WITH ASSISTANCE OF GND PERSONNEL. FLT TO ZZZ AND REFUELING WERE UNEVENTFUL. ON DEPARTURE FROM ZZZ, THERE WAS AGAIN DIFFICULTY SECURING CO-PLT'S DOOR, BUT ALL LATCHES WERE VISUALLY VERIFIED AFTER 2 TO 3 TRIES. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT ABOUT 500 FT AGL AND 40 TO 50 KTS AIRSPEED, UPPER AFT LATCH POINT CAME UNLATCHED AND DOOR CAME PARTIALLY AJAR. INFORMED PLT THAT DOOR WAS AJAR BUT THAT I WOULD HOLD IT SHUT (USING DOOR HANDLE AT AFT END OF DOOR). A FEW SECONDS LATER, DOOR CAME LOOSE AT HINGES (FWD EDGE) AND DEPARTED ACFT. PLT IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED ZZZ TWR AND RETURNED TO ZZZ ARPT. DOOR SUBSEQUENTLY RECOVERED IN RESIDENTIAL AREA JUST WEST OF ARPT WITH NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY ON GND. POOR FITTING DOORS WITH SPRING TENSION CABLE LATCHING MECHANISMS ARE TYPICAL ON OLDER GENERAL AVIATION ACFT. IN ADDITION, THIS ACFT HAD QUICK RELEASE DOOR HINGES IN ACCORDANCE WITH STC WHICH PROVIDE LESS POSITIVE SECURITY THAN THE FACTORY HINGES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED TWO FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DOOR DEPARTING THE ACFT, THE DOOR LATCHING CONSISTING OF SPRING CABLE LATCHING MECHANISMS FOUND ON ALL OLDER GENERAL AVIATION ACFT, FORWARD DOOR HINGES WERE QUICK RELEASE TYPE IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN STC AND BELIEVES THE LOWER HINGE PIN LOCK FAILED ALLOWING THE HINGE PIN TO SLIP OUT. THE RPTR SAID THE QUICK RELEASE HINGES INSTALLED BY THE STC PROVIDE LESS POSITIVE SECURITY THAN THE MANUFACTURER'S HINGES. THE RPTR STATED THIS DOOR WAS NOT WORKED ON DURING THE MAINT VISIT PRIOR TO THE FIRST FLT OF THE DAY.

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.

A hughes 500C on climb out at 500 ft 40 to 50 KTS airspeed the right door upper aft latch came unlatched and door came loose at forward hinges and departed the aircraft.