20010606013409I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA32300 · Concord, NC · June 6, 2001

Date: June 6, 2001 · 17:35 local
Place: Concord, NC
Airport: Concord Regional Airport
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N833WC
Reported as: Piper PA32300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540K1A5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,304 total97 in this make and model201 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot had just begun a descent from 6000 feet to 3000 feet when he heard the sound of air coming from the back of the cherokee six. A second or two later there was a loud popping noise and a greater rush of air. The pilot then turned around to find the top half of the passenger door missing. He was about 20 nautical miles from his destination (the condord, north carolina airport, jqf). A landing was made with no further problems. The pilot stated that the subject passenger door was securely fastened prior to the flight's origin.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT HAD JUST BEGUN A DESCENT FROM 6000 FEET TO 3000 FEET WHEN HE HEARD THE SOUND OF AIR COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE CHEROKEE SIX. A SECOND OR TWO LATER THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND A GREATER RUSH OF AIR. THE PILOT THEN TURNED AROUND TO FIND THE TOP HALF OF THE PASSENGER DOOR MISSING. HE WAS ABOUT 20 NAUTICAL MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION (THE CONDORD, NORTH CAROLINA AIRPORT, JQF). A LANDING WAS MADE WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE SUBJECT PASSENGER DOOR WAS SECURELY FASTENED PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT'S ORIGIN.