What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) 08/04/04: Aircraft departed grr and 3-4 minutes after leveling off at 7000', pilot reported getting cargo door warning light and then heard "thump", asked for vectors to nearest airport (rqb), landed without incident. Walkaround showed damage to left horizontal stabilizer leading edge. A box had departed the aircraft and struck the stab leading edge causing substantial damage. Pilot stated that he forced cargo door shut because of cargo load and cockpit annunciator light was extinguished and did not come on until door came open in flight. Investigation revealed that door could be flexed and rear latch not engaged, or door handle could be out of locking detent and annunciator would extinguish, implying safe door when in fact door was not properly latched.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) 08/04/04: AIRCRAFT DEPARTED GRR AND 3-4 MINUTES AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 7000', PILOT REPORTED GETTING CARGO DOOR WARNING LIGHT AND THEN HEARD "THUMP", ASKED FOR VECTORS TO NEAREST AIRPORT (RQB), LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. WALKAROUND SHOWED DAMAGE TO LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER LEADING EDGE. A BOX HAD DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND STRUCK THE STAB LEADING EDGE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT STATED THAT HE FORCED CARGO DOOR SHUT BECAUSE OF CARGO LOAD AND COCKPIT ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT WAS EXTINGUISHED AND DID NOT COME ON UNTIL DOOR CAME OPEN IN FLIGHT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT DOOR COULD BE FLEXED AND REAR LATCH NOT ENGAGED, OR DOOR HANDLE COULD BE OUT OF LOCKING DETENT AND ANNUNCIATOR WOULD EXTINGUISH, IMPLYING SAFE DOOR WHEN IN FACT DOOR WAS NOT PROPERLY LATCHED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N1037N · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.