Pilot's hatch door opened in flight.

Attributes
ACN	92830
Time
Date	198808
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 200 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 6250 flight time type : 105
ASRS Report	92830
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was flying this leg off runway 33L at intersection gulf, boston. Takeoff went well, red line, 105 rotation, blue line all was fine. At about 200 or more feet in a right turn to 360 degrees assigned at 120 KT the pilot side door hatch flew open. The captain took over the airplane. I assumed I had the radios. I looked to see if the door was just in the up position (with the arm still holding it) but the door appeared to be gone. I think the captain thought it was just up and he would be able to pull it shut! At change over from tower to departure I told them that we were out 700' for 3000' and had a little problem. At that time captain told me over the intercom that I shouldn't tell them that. (I think he still thought he could shut it.) we did an after takeoff. I told him I was concerned that the door was maybe on the runway because I could not see it. That's when he looked to see and looked at me and said, 'it's gone.' he called them back to tell them that we had lost the pilot hatch door. Departure wanted to know if we wanted to declare an emergency or not. The captain said no. They wanted to know where the door might have fallen. I can't recall what he said, just off the airport somewhere. He told them he wanted to go to manchester, nh, and we were clear to mht and maintain 3000'. I told them up were out of 5.5 for 3000'. Then the captain asked if any passenger were hurt and they shook their heads no. After an uneventful landing in mht, we found the door still attached but with bent and torn hinges. Had it come off, it could have done damage to the tail of the airplane and we lost control! The checklist should be changed to read door lights out, and pilot hatch and aft cargo door checked locked! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter says no light for pilot hatch or cargo door. Passenger only aware of draft, curtain blowing and noise. No negative reactions according to reporter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT'S HATCH DOOR OPENED IN FLT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THIS LEG OFF RWY 33L AT INTXN GULF, BOSTON. TKOF WENT WELL, RED LINE, 105 ROTATION, BLUE LINE ALL WAS FINE. AT ABOUT 200 OR MORE FEET IN A RIGHT TURN TO 360 DEGS ASSIGNED AT 120 KT THE PLT SIDE DOOR HATCH FLEW OPEN. THE CAPT TOOK OVER THE AIRPLANE. I ASSUMED I HAD THE RADIOS. I LOOKED TO SEE IF THE DOOR WAS JUST IN THE UP POS (WITH THE ARM STILL HOLDING IT) BUT THE DOOR APPEARED TO BE GONE. I THINK THE CAPT THOUGHT IT WAS JUST UP AND HE WOULD BE ABLE TO PULL IT SHUT! AT CHANGE OVER FROM TWR TO DEP I TOLD THEM THAT WE WERE OUT 700' FOR 3000' AND HAD A LITTLE PROB. AT THAT TIME CAPT TOLD ME OVER THE INTERCOM THAT I SHOULDN'T TELL THEM THAT. (I THINK HE STILL THOUGHT HE COULD SHUT IT.) WE DID AN AFTER TKOF. I TOLD HIM I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE DOOR WAS MAYBE ON THE RWY BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE IT. THAT'S WHEN HE LOOKED TO SEE AND LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, 'IT'S GONE.' HE CALLED THEM BACK TO TELL THEM THAT WE HAD LOST THE PLT HATCH DOOR. DEP WANTED TO KNOW IF WE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER OR NOT. THE CAPT SAID NO. THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHERE THE DOOR MIGHT HAVE FALLEN. I CAN'T RECALL WHAT HE SAID, JUST OFF THE ARPT SOMEWHERE. HE TOLD THEM HE WANTED TO GO TO MANCHESTER, NH, AND WE WERE CLR TO MHT AND MAINTAIN 3000'. I TOLD THEM UP WERE OUT OF 5.5 FOR 3000'. THEN THE CAPT ASKED IF ANY PAX WERE HURT AND THEY SHOOK THEIR HEADS NO. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG IN MHT, WE FOUND THE DOOR STILL ATTACHED BUT WITH BENT AND TORN HINGES. HAD IT COME OFF, IT COULD HAVE DONE DAMAGE TO THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE AND WE LOST CONTROL! THE CHKLIST SHOULD BE CHANGED TO READ DOOR LIGHTS OUT, AND PLT HATCH AND AFT CARGO DOOR CHKED LOCKED! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR SAYS NO LIGHT FOR PLT HATCH OR CARGO DOOR. PAX ONLY AWARE OF DRAFT, CURTAIN BLOWING AND NOISE. NO NEGATIVE REACTIONS ACCORDING TO RPTR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.