What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On ramp at Hilo airport, pilot closed airstair door from outside. When finished unloading cargo, he proceeded through inside of aircraft to cockpit because of heavy rain. Pilot did not visually check airstair door lock, but did not have a warning light when battery power applied. While climbing through 4500 ft on departure, airstair door opened without warning. At that time, warning light came on. Pilot declared an emergency and got vectors back for ILS at Hilo. Due to 20 knot crosswind from the right, aircraft landed left of centerline and left main gear broke a runway light. Open airstair door received additional damage on landing. Pilot notified company, who notified cmt. No notification to hnl FSDO on 15 nov. Following day, FSDO learned of Hilo district manager query to ATC. Alpine ground personnel had already examined the aircraft, provided pictures. Aircraft was secured at Hilo pending arrival of parts. Inspector ^privac^ met alpine repair crew on ramp at Hilo on 11/27. Door locking mechanism badly damaged from dragging at landing, impossible to determine latch configuration at moment of opening.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON RAMP AT HILO AIRPORT, PILOT CLOSED AIRSTAIR DOOR FROM OUTSIDE. WHEN FINISHED UNLOADING CARGO, HE PROCEEDED THROUGH INSIDE OF AIRCRAFT TO COCKPIT BECAUSE OF HEAVY RAIN. PILOT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK AIRSTAIR DOOR LOCK, BUT DID NOT HAVE A WARNING LIGHT WHEN BATTERY POWER APPLIED. WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 4500 FT ON DEPARTURE, AIRSTAIR DOOR OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. AT THAT TIME, WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND GOT VECTORS BACK FOR ILS AT HILO. DUE TO 20 KNOT CROSSWIND FROM THE RIGHT, AIRCRAFT LANDED LEFT OF CENTERLINE AND LEFT MAIN GEAR BROKE A RUNWAY LIGHT. OPEN AIRSTAIR DOOR RECEIVED ADDITIONAL DAMAGE ON LANDING. PILOT NOTIFIED COMPANY, WHO NOTIFIED CMT. NO NOTIFICATION TO HNL FSDO ON 15 NOV. FOLLOWING DAY, FSDO LEARNED OF HILO DISTRICT MANAGER QUERY TO ATC. ALPINE GROUND PERSONNEL HAD ALREADY EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT, PROVIDED PICTURES. AIRCRAFT WAS SECURED AT HILO PENDING ARRIVAL OF PARTS. INSPECTOR ^PRIVAC^ MET ALPINE REPAIR CREW ON RAMP AT HILO ON 11/27. DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM BADLY DAMAGED FROM DRAGGING AT LANDING, IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE LATCH CONFIGURATION AT MOMENT OF OPENING.
Other reports on N153GA · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.