Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Cheyenne Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001
Tuesady, November 8, 2011 11:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was climbing through 7,500 feet when the main cabin door opened in-flight and subsequently separated from the airframe. The main cabin door was later recovered and examined. The examination revealed deformation on the outer skin on the lower end of the door; the skin deformation was consistent with the door rotating downward and aft relative to the hinge attachment. The fracture surfaces were on slant planes consistent with ductile overstress fracture. No evidence of preexisting cracks was observed. The door latching mechanism was examined and all pushrods, latch pins, and the associated bellcrank were in place and intact. Wear was observed on the upper side of the forward pins at the middle and upper positions; however, the latching mechanism travel and extension of the latch pins was correct. No other anomalies were noted; thus it is likely the door latch mechanism was not fully engaged before takeoff, which resulted in the door opening in-flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flight crew’s failure to properly latch the cabin door before takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/8/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1100 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Cheyenne |
| Event State | WYOMING |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 82001 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 410920N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1044837W |
| Event Location Airport | Cheyenne Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CYS |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 20 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 6159 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CYS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6159 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.1 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KCYS 081753Z 33011KT 10SM CLR 02/M09 A3010 |
| 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) | 31509 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC SEA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 21 2013 12:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N39EH |
| NTSB Number | WPR12LA030 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-31T |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 31T-7920020 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 9000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 7 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6345 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | LA STELLA |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WILMINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19808 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | TRAVELAIRE SERVICE INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | PUEBLO |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 81001 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | CYS |
| Departure City | Cheyenne |
| Departure State | WY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1040 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SHR |
| Destination City | Sheridan |
| Destination State | WY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 21 2013 5:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | Yes |
| Medical Flight | Discretionary |