Westchester County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

White Plains, New York 10604
Friday, May 28, 2010 12:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After concluding the preflight safety briefing for the passengers, the first officer closed the cabin door. The first officer remembered rotating the door locking handle but could not recall the direction he rotated it. He also could not recall looking at the cabin door lock indicator lights or the cockpit indicator, as was required by the operator's preflight checklist. Just after takeoff, the captain recalled that he heard the cabin door "leaking" and the first officer observed that the DOOR SEAL/CABIN DOOR annunciator lights were illuminated. When asked, the first officer did not recall the MASTER CAUTION annunciator illuminating. Had the MASTER CAUTION annunciator illuminated, it would have been one indication that the door was properly secured prior to the takeoff. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern during the return for landing, the main cabin door opened. The crew subsequently declared an emergency, and landed uneventfully with the main cabin door open. The airplane incurred minor damage during the landing and the passengers and crew were not injured. Postincident examination of the door and its locking and indicating mechanisms revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures. Because of the close proximity of the amber-colored CABIN DOOR annunciator light and the white-colored GROUND IDLE annunciator light, it is possible that the flight crew inadvertently overlooked the illuminated CABIN DOOR annunciator light prior to takeoff.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight crew's failure to ensure that the cabin door was secured/locked prior to takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 5/28/2010
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1220
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City White Plains
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 10604
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410401N
Event Location Longitude 0734227W
Event Location Airport Westchester County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HPN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 439
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1156 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID HPN
Elevation of weather observation facility 439
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29013
NTSB Notification Source Aircraft Operator
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 9 2011 12:07PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N662QS
NTSB Number ERA10IA285
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91 Subpart K: Fractional
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 560XL
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5605262
Certified Max Gross Weight 20200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 7
Total number of seats on the aircraft 9
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 22 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7384
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name NETJETS SALES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address C/O NETJETS SALES INC
Aircraft Owner City OKLAHOMA CITY
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73102
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Columbus
Operator State OH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 43219
Operator Code DXTK
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code HPN
Departure City White Plains
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ACK
Destination City Nantucket
Destination State MA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 9 2011 12:07PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 6548
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --