Commuter small transport had the emergency exit come off while in cruise at 1000'.

Attributes
ACN	98919
Time
Date	198811
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ckh
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : hnl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 4375 flight time type : 1775
ASRS Report	98919
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During a scheduled flight from hnl to molokai, I was cruising at 1000' while in the TCA. About 10 mi east of koko head VOR, I heard a loud hissing noise. I checked the pilot's and copilot's side windows to see if they had opened. They were not the cause of the noise. Suddenly the emergency exit door blew out. I then informed hnl approach control that I would be returning to the airport under emergency conditions. Hnl approach cleared me directly to the airport. I checked to see that the passenger were alright and asked them to check their seat belts. I slowed the aircraft to 120 KTS to slow the flow of air rushing into the cockpit. The approach and landing were normal in hnl. The emergency equipment was standing by as a precaution. After landing I taxied off the active runway to a taxiway and shut down the aircraft to check the exterior of the aircraft. There was no damage to the aircraft. I then taxied the aircraft to the hangar for maintenance to check the aircraft. The maintenance department thinks the pin that holds the emergency exit in place was not seated properly. Maintenance replaced the emergency exit and returned the aircraft to service the next day. I think a future occurrence of this type could best be avoided by having maintenance remove and reseal these exits periodically.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT HAD THE EMERGENCY EXIT COME OFF WHILE IN CRUISE AT 1000'.

Narrative: DURING A SCHEDULED FLT FROM HNL TO MOLOKAI, I WAS CRUISING AT 1000' WHILE IN THE TCA. ABOUT 10 MI E OF KOKO HEAD VOR, I HEARD A LOUD HISSING NOISE. I CHKED THE PLT'S AND COPLT'S SIDE WINDOWS TO SEE IF THEY HAD OPENED. THEY WERE NOT THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE. SUDDENLY THE EMER EXIT DOOR BLEW OUT. I THEN INFORMED HNL APCH CTL THAT I WOULD BE RETURNING TO THE ARPT UNDER EMER CONDITIONS. HNL APCH CLRED ME DIRECTLY TO THE ARPT. I CHKED TO SEE THAT THE PAX WERE ALRIGHT AND ASKED THEM TO CHK THEIR SEAT BELTS. I SLOWED THE ACFT TO 120 KTS TO SLOW THE FLOW OF AIR RUSHING INTO THE COCKPIT. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL IN HNL. THE EMER EQUIP WAS STANDING BY AS A PRECAUTION. AFTER LNDG I TAXIED OFF THE ACTIVE RWY TO A TXWY AND SHUT DOWN THE ACFT TO CHK THE EXTERIOR OF THE ACFT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. I THEN TAXIED THE ACFT TO THE HANGAR FOR MAINT TO CHK THE ACFT. THE MAINT DEPT THINKS THE PIN THAT HOLDS THE EMER EXIT IN PLACE WAS NOT SEATED PROPERLY. MAINT REPLACED THE EMER EXIT AND RETURNED THE ACFT TO SVC THE NEXT DAY. I THINK A FUTURE OCCURRENCE OF THIS TYPE COULD BEST BE AVOIDED BY HAVING MAINT REMOVE AND RESEAL THESE EXITS PERIODICALLY.

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.