Galesburg Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Galesburg, Illinois 61401
Thursday, January 8, 2004 14:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane sustained substantial damage when its cabin door opened in-flight, separated from the airplane, and impacted the empennage during climb out. A passenger closed the cabin door. The report, signed by the pilot, stated, "The door was not verified to be closed properly by the PIC." That report listed no mechanical malfunctions in reference to the flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight by not complying with the airplane's before takeoff checklist to verify that the cabin door was secured leading to its in-flight separation from the airplane. A factor was that the door was not secured.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/8/2004
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Galesburg
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61401
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 405617N
Event Location Longitude 0902552W
Event Location Airport GALESBURG MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GBG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 764
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1425 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID GBG
Elevation of weather observation facility 764
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.15
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KGBG Galesburg Municipal Airport Galesburg, Illi
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 7
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15869
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jan 8 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1716
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2004 7:30AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Spingfield, IL, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N48TA
NTSB Number CHI04LA053
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model E-90
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number LW-283
Certified Max Gross Weight 10100
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Oct 17 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 8590.9
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TIDEWATER AERO L L C
Aircraft Owner Street Address 300 W Freemason Street
Aircraft Owner City Norfolk
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23510
Operator is an individual? No
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 TIDA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code GBG
Departure City Galesburg
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1425
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MKJ
Destination City MARION/WYTHEVIL
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? Yes
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 13 2004 10:05PM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --