Sheldons Point Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sheldon Point, Alaska 99666
Saturday, August 29, 1992 20:26 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE LEFT COCKPIT DOOR BEHIND PILOT THE POSITION OPENED INTO AIRSTREAM AT 50 FT AGL ON INITIAL CLIMBOUT. THE DOOR DEPARATED AND DAMAGED LEFT PROPELLER AND FUSELAGE SKIN. THE PILOT COMPLETED SINGLE ENGINE PROCEDURES AND PROCEDED IMC TO ALTERNATE AND COMPLETED IFR APPROACH AND LANDING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE DOOR WAS NOT FOUND. IT WAS UNDETERMINED IF THE DOOR LATCH MALFUNCTIONED FOR PERSONNEL FAILED TO CLOSE THE LATCH. COCKPIT LIGHTING DOES NOT ILLUMINATE AS A FUNCTION OF THE DOOR LATCH. THEE IS NO WARNING LIGHT TO WARN OF AN UNLATCHED DOOR. THE DOOR HINGES ARE MOUNTED ON THE AFT FRAME OF THE DOOR OPENING, THUS SWINGING REARWARD IN FRONT OF PROPELLER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE UNLATCHING OF THE LEFT CREW ENTRANCE DOOR BY MEANS UNDETERMINED AND THE LACK OF ADHERENCE TO DOOR CHECK ITEMS BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND ON THE REQUISITE CHECKLISTS. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE INCIDENT WAS THE SEPARATION OF THE DOOR FROM THE FRAME WHEN OPENED INTO THE SLIPSTREAM.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/29/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2026
Event Time Zone --
Event City SHELDON POINT
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99666
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SHELDONS POINT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SXP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 200
Airport Elevation 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 1100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 574
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2138
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47972
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N53NS
NTSB Number ANC92IA147
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Short Brothers
Aircraft Model SH-7
Aircraft Series Identifier SH-7
Aircraft Serial Number 1920
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 11
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Aug 26 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 5837
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTH STAR AIR CARGO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4340 SATELLITE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CAMAI AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 787
Operator City BETHEL
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99559
Operator Code HYQA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SXP
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2027
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KSM
Destination City ST MARYS
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 2
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --