20111010029869A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 182A · Warrenton, VA · October 10, 2011

Date: October 10, 2011 · 09:45 local
Place: Warrenton, VA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6324B
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA12CA024
Reported as: Cessna 182A
Reported engine: Continental O-470 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 503 total150 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days

N6324BRegistration cancelled May 31, 2018 · Cessna 182AS/N 34224 · Built 1957 Airframe modelCessna 182A Engine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

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.

During a descent after dropping parachute jumpers the passenger door opened in flight. As the pilot was attempting to secure it, the window opened, detached, and caught the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot diverted to his maintenance base at Warrenton. It was determined that metal fatigue caused the part to detach. The window is not designed to be opened in flight due it being subjected to extreme forces acting on an already fragile hinge.

As the FAA filed it

DURING A DESCENT AFTER DROPPING PARACHUTE JUMPERS THE PASSENGER DOOR OPENED IN FLIGHT. AS THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO SECURE IT, THE WINDOW OPENED, DETACHED, AND CAUGHT THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE PILOT DIVERTED TO HIS MAINTENANCE BASE AT WARRENTON. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT METAL FATIGUE CAUSED THE PART TO DETACH. THE WINDOW IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE OPENED IN FLIGHT DUE IT BEING SUBJECTED TO EXTREME FORCES ACTING ON AN ALREADY FRAGILE HINGE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA12CA024Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWarrenton, VAThe pilot did not ensure that the forward door latch was secured prior to initiating the descent.Oct 10, 2011 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6324B · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20130914017439ALanding: Approach · Casa Grande, AZOn 09/14/2013 at approximately 1224 PDT, pilot reported by telephone that while attempting to land N6324B, a Cessna 182A, the engine stalled and he crash landed in the desert about .25 miles from Casa Grande airport (cgz). There was one person on board with…Sep 14, 2013 · Substantial damage