What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Left cabin door blew off on climbout. Indicates attendant inadvertently opened it. Lock mechanism had been reversed (-23) after takeoff, 600' AGL, left aft cabin door departed aircraft. Returned to ord without further incident. Flight attendant seated three feet from door says she unbuckled belt, and threw herself forward into aisle. Several passengers got up to assist her, believing it necessary to "rescue" her flight attendant training records and training program satisfactory, including door modification differences. Lack of any damage to door mechanism shoot-bolts, or fuselage shoot-bolt rollers tends to indicate door was opened by means of the door handle, although flight attendant maintains otherwise.
As the FAA filed it
LEFT CABIN DOOR BLEW OFF ON CLIMBOUT. INDICATES ATTENDANT INADVERTENTLY OPENED IT. LOCK MECHANISM HAD BEEN REVERSED (-23) AFTER TAKEOFF, 600' AGL, LEFT AFT CABIN DOOR DEPARTED AIRCRAFT. RETURNED TO ORD WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. FLIGHT ATTENDANT SEATED THREE FEET FROM DOOR SAYS SHE UNBUCKLED BELT, AND THREW HERSELF FORWARD INTO AISLE. SEVERAL PASSENGERS GOT UP TO ASSIST HER, BELIEVING IT NECESSARY TO "RESCUE" HER FLIGHT ATTENDANT TRAINING RECORDS AND TRAINING PROGRAM SATISFACTORY, INCLUDING DOOR MODIFICATION DIFFERENCES. LACK OF ANY DAMAGE TO DOOR MECHANISM SHOOT-BOLTS, OR FUSELAGE SHOOT-BOLT ROLLERS TENDS TO INDICATE DOOR WAS OPENED BY MEANS OF THE DOOR HANDLE, ALTHOUGH FLIGHT ATTENDANT MAINTAINS OTHERWISE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.