What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On September 19, 2007 a RV-10, N416EC flying from kryy to kdhn flying at 145 knots at 4500FT. Cruise, the pilot noticed that the passenger door was vibrating. The pilot reached for the door handle and the door came open an inch or two. The pilot kept a grip on the door for a second or two before the door was ripped from his hand. The door flew open and departed the aircraft. At this point the pilot disengaged the autopilot, pulled the throttle 1/2 out to slow the aircraft and called the tower at kryy to declare an emergency. The pilot made a slow turn back to kryy and landed without incident. After landing the pilot inspected the aircraft and discovered that the door had struck and dented the horizontal stabilizer. An extensive search for the missing door has not recovered it.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2007 A RV-10, N416EC FLYING FROM KRYY TO KDHN FLYING AT 145 KNOTS AT 4500FT. CRUISE, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER DOOR WAS VIBRATING. THE PILOT REACHED FOR THE DOOR HANDLE AND THE DOOR CAME OPEN AN INCH OR TWO. THE PILOT KEPT A GRIP ON THE DOOR FOR A SECOND OR TWO BEFORE THE DOOR WAS RIPPED FROM HIS HAND. THE DOOR FLEW OPEN AND DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. AT THIS POINT THE PILOT DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT, PULLED THE THROTTLE 1/2 OUT TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT AND CALLED THE TOWER AT KRYY TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. THE PILOT MADE A SLOW TURN BACK TO KRYY AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER LANDING THE PILOT INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND DISCOVERED THAT THE DOOR HAD STRUCK AND DENTED THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING DOOR HAS NOT RECOVERED IT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.