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An instructor and his student suffered the loss of a rear door of the DA40-180 shortly after takeoff. They returned safely to the departure airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 865309 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200912 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | DA40 Diamond Star |
| Flight Phase | Initial Climb |
| Route In Use | None |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Exterior Pax/Crew Door |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying Instructor |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 85.5 Flight Crew Total 453.1 Flight Crew Type 408.1 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical |
Narrative:
My student and I walked out to the ramp and visually saw the rear door of the DA40-180 in the closed and latched position. After getting into the aircraft we started up and proceeded to the hold short line of 4L. We then completed the before takeoff checklist by confirming the rear door was checked closed and locked; front canopy closed and locked. We also confirmed that the door warning light was checked off. After departing; neither me nor my student touched the rear door. Approximately a mile north on the initial climb we lost the rear door instantly with no fair warning. I then took the controls and made an immediate turn back toward the runway to land on 4L. We returned safely to the airport with no further incident. The door has been found; and no person or property was damaged or injured by the door. I completed all the necessary items on the before takeoff checklist; and I did not violate any far.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: An Instructor and his Student suffered the loss of a rear door of the DA40-180 shortly after takeoff. They returned safely to the departure airport.
Narrative: My student and I walked out to the ramp and visually saw the rear door of the DA40-180 in the closed and latched position. After getting into the aircraft we started up and proceeded to the hold short line of 4L. We then completed the before takeoff checklist by confirming the rear door was checked closed and locked; front canopy closed and locked. We also confirmed that the door warning light was checked off. After departing; neither me nor my student touched the rear door. Approximately a mile north on the initial climb we lost the rear door instantly with no fair warning. I then took the controls and made an immediate turn back toward the runway to land on 4L. We returned safely to the airport with no further incident. The door has been found; and no person or property was damaged or injured by the door. I completed all the necessary items on the before takeoff checklist; and I did not violate any FAR.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.