Narrative:

Passing approximately FL200; we got a cabin door warning light. I immediately stopped climbing the aircraft; and began a descent; to reduce the pressure differential on the door. We advised ATC of our indication; and asked for a lower altitude. We may have specifically requested an altitude of about 8000 ft or 10000 ft. I can't remember exactly. Reviewing our position; altitude; and distance required to make a descent from FL200; I elected to continue northwards; and decided that psm was the best alternative destination; and so advised ATC that we would like to divert there. During the descent; the copilot pulled out the checklist; and we ran through all the items. At one point; during the descent; which was accomplished at approximately 1500-2000 FPM; ATC asked us to verify that we were having a pressurization problem; and I answered in the negative; and clarified that what we were experiencing was an annunciator; and that there was in fact no indications of any other problems associated with the pressurization system. Also; during the descent; the cabin door annunciator extinguished; I noted that it did so at approximately 2.0 differential; I don't remember what altitude that we were at the time. I elected to continue my approach into psm and land so as to have an opportunity to personally inspect the integrity of the door. We accomplished an uneventful; normal approach and landing at psm; with the annunciator extinguished. After clearing the runway; I exited the cockpit; and went back to check the door. The check revealed that all 4 bayonets were in the correct position; the locking latch was in its correct position; and the switch was in contact with the locking latch. I opened the door to verify the annunciator light was still functional; and it was. I reclosed the door; and noted that the annunciator extinguished. At that time; I considered the door to be in a fully functional condition; and thus; that the airplane was in a functional condition; so I elected to continue the flight. The remainder of the flight was conducted without incident. The problem; and failure was in communication between myself and the company; in that I didn't advise the company of the event; and elected to continue the flight on my own initiative. Once I had touched down; I had deviated from the planned flight due to a mechanical problem; and should have reported the incident to the operations department; and gotten them involved in the decision making process; since they are much more experienced and familiar with procedures than I am. I have since been advised that a precautionary landing to check on an item is identical to a mechanical failure and that as a pilot; I do not have the authority/authorized to continue from a deviation on my own without an approval from appropriate sources with the appropriate authority/authorized.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: KINGAIR BE200 HAS DOOR WARNING WHILE INFLT AND DIVERTS.

Narrative: PASSING APPROX FL200; WE GOT A CABIN DOOR WARNING LIGHT. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED CLBING THE ACFT; AND BEGAN A DSCNT; TO REDUCE THE PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL ON THE DOOR. WE ADVISED ATC OF OUR INDICATION; AND ASKED FOR A LOWER ALT. WE MAY HAVE SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED AN ALT OF ABOUT 8000 FT OR 10000 FT. I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY. REVIEWING OUR POS; ALT; AND DISTANCE REQUIRED TO MAKE A DSCNT FROM FL200; I ELECTED TO CONTINUE NORTHWARDS; AND DECIDED THAT PSM WAS THE BEST ALTERNATIVE DEST; AND SO ADVISED ATC THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DIVERT THERE. DURING THE DSCNT; THE COPLT PULLED OUT THE CHKLIST; AND WE RAN THROUGH ALL THE ITEMS. AT ONE POINT; DURING THE DSCNT; WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT APPROX 1500-2000 FPM; ATC ASKED US TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE HAVING A PRESSURIZATION PROB; AND I ANSWERED IN THE NEGATIVE; AND CLARIFIED THAT WHAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING WAS AN ANNUNCIATOR; AND THAT THERE WAS IN FACT NO INDICATIONS OF ANY OTHER PROBS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRESSURIZATION SYS. ALSO; DURING THE DSCNT; THE CABIN DOOR ANNUNCIATOR EXTINGUISHED; I NOTED THAT IT DID SO AT APPROX 2.0 DIFFERENTIAL; I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT ALT THAT WE WERE AT THE TIME. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE MY APCH INTO PSM AND LAND SO AS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PERSONALLY INSPECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE DOOR. WE ACCOMPLISHED AN UNEVENTFUL; NORMAL APCH AND LNDG AT PSM; WITH THE ANNUNCIATOR EXTINGUISHED. AFTER CLRING THE RWY; I EXITED THE COCKPIT; AND WENT BACK TO CHK THE DOOR. THE CHK REVEALED THAT ALL 4 BAYONETS WERE IN THE CORRECT POS; THE LOCKING LATCH WAS IN ITS CORRECT POS; AND THE SWITCH WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE LOCKING LATCH. I OPENED THE DOOR TO VERIFY THE ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT WAS STILL FUNCTIONAL; AND IT WAS. I RECLOSED THE DOOR; AND NOTED THAT THE ANNUNCIATOR EXTINGUISHED. AT THAT TIME; I CONSIDERED THE DOOR TO BE IN A FULLY FUNCTIONAL CONDITION; AND THUS; THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A FUNCTIONAL CONDITION; SO I ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS CONDUCTED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE PROB; AND FAILURE WAS IN COM BTWN MYSELF AND THE COMPANY; IN THAT I DIDN'T ADVISE THE COMPANY OF THE EVENT; AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT ON MY OWN INITIATIVE. ONCE I HAD TOUCHED DOWN; I HAD DEVIATED FROM THE PLANNED FLT DUE TO A MECHANICAL PROB; AND SHOULD HAVE RPTED THE INCIDENT TO THE OPS DEPT; AND GOTTEN THEM INVOLVED IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS; SINCE THEY ARE MUCH MORE EXPERIENCED AND FAMILIAR WITH PROCS THAN I AM. I HAVE SINCE BEEN ADVISED THAT A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG TO CHK ON AN ITEM IS IDENTICAL TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE AND THAT AS A PLT; I DO NOT HAVE THE AUTH TO CONTINUE FROM A DEV ON MY OWN WITHOUT AN APPROVAL FROM APPROPRIATE SOURCES WITH THE APPROPRIATE AUTH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.