Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057
Friday, October 28, 1983 13:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKEOFF ON A FLT TO WASHINGTON, DC, THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 3500 FT WHEN A PERSON (RIDING AS A PASSENGER) MOVED TO THE RIGHT REAR DOOR, OPENED IT & DEPARTED THE ACFT. PRIOR TO THE FLT, AN ASSOCIATE, WHO WAS AN ACFT REFUELER, SAW THE PERSON NEAR THE END OF THE BOARDING LINE. THE REFUELER ASKED THE PERSON WHERE HE WAS GOING; THE PERSON REPLIED DC OR SOMEPLACE IN BETWEEN. WHEN THE PERSON GOT ON BOARD, HE SPOKE TO THE FLT ATTENDANT BY NAME & ASKED FOR A SPECIFIC SEAT NEAR THE RIGHT REAR DOOR. WHEN THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FLT ATTENDANT HEARD AIR NOISE FROM THE OPENED DOOR & ALSO HEARD SOMEONE SCREAM 'MY GOD, HE JUMPED.' AFTER THE PERSON JUMPED, THE DOOR REMAINED PARTIALLY OPEN WITH HIS SHOE WEDGED IN THE DOORWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/28/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1335
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MIDDLETOWN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17057
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 10
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HAR
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 29
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5134
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23753
Date of most recent change to record Dec 9 2011 10:48AM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N26288
NTSB Number NYC84LA015
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Short Brothers
Aircraft Model SD3-30
Aircraft Series Identifier SD3-30
Aircraft Serial Number SH 3074
Certified Max Gross Weight 22000
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 30
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3005
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PENNSYLVANIA AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address HARRISBURG INTERNAIONAL ARPT.
Aircraft Owner City MIDDLETOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17057
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MDT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DCA
Destination City WASHINGTON
Destination State DC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:31AM
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 --