Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Portland, Maine 04102
Wednesday, September 2, 1987 19:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS CRUISING AT 2500 FT WITH NO PASSENGERS ON BOARD. THE CO-PILOT WENT INTO THE CABIN AND NOTICED A LOUD HISSING NOISE AROUND THE MAIN CABIN DOOR. HE CHECKED THE HANDLE AND LOCKING PINS AND NOTICED THE DOOR WAS LOCKED. HE TOLD THE CAPTAIN WHO DIRECTED HIM TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE CAPTAIN WENT BACK INTO THE CABIN TO CHECK THE DOOR. THE CAPTAIN SAID HE MAY HAVE BUMPED THE DOOR AND IT FLEW OPEN. HE WAS TANGLED UP IN THE DOOR CABLES AND STAYED WITH THE AIRCRAFT. HE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE CO-PILOT MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING AFTER DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. THE DOOR WAS EXAMINED AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND WITH THE DOOR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE WITHOUT REPAIR. BEECH AIRCRAFT COMPANY SAID THERE WOULD BE A 127 LB FORCE PULLING THE DOOR OUTWARD AT 200 KTAS AND 2500 FT. THE FLIGHT CREW HAD REPORTED THEY WERE IN NORMAL CRUISE WHEN THE DOOR OPENED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 9/2/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PORTLAND
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04102
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1900 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PWM
Elevation of weather observation facility 74
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5092
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 2 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2148
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36642
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N204BH
NTSB Number NYC87IA258
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 99
Aircraft Series Identifier 99
Aircraft Serial Number U-47
Certified Max Gross Weight 10400
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 17
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 28700
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEWART M. AYTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 271 N. ARMOUR
Aircraft Owner City WICHITA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67206
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BAR HARBOR AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 138 MAINE AVE.
Operator City BANGOR
Operator State ME
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 04401
Operator Code BHAA
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LEW
Departure City AUBURN
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BOS
Destination City BOSTON
Destination State MA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --