# Incident 20131014020749I: Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA 40, Bedford, MA, October 14, 2013

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 14, 2013, 14:55 local time
- Place: Bedford, MA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.4906° N, 71.2762° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bedford, MA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4906&lon=-71.2762&mi=10
- Aircraft: N706DS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N706DS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 (registry code 2990002, https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da-40) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-M1A+ (registry code 41869, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-m1a-plus) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 40
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-MIA+
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 700 total, 350 in this make and model, 69 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131014020749I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE DOORS (MAIN CANOPY AND REAR PASSENGER DOOR) WERE OPENED ON THE RAMP FOR THE  REMOVAL OF PASSENGERS AND BAGGAGE.  THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD TO QUICKLY SHUT THE MAIN CANOPY AND REAR PASSENGER DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE DUE TO AN APPROACHING HELICOPTER, FEARING THAT THE ROTORWASH WOULD DAMAGE THEM.

ONCE THE HELICOPTER HAD PASSED HE THEN RE-ENTERED THE AIRCRAFT, SHUT AND LOCKED THE CANOPY, BUT STATED HE FORGOT ABOUT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR WHICH HAD BEEN OPENED BUT NOT CLOSED COMPLETELY.

DURING THE TAKE OFF ROLL, HE REALIZED THAT THE DOOR WAS NOT COMPLETELY SHUT AND CONSIDERED ABORTING THE TAKE OFF, BUT SINCE HE WAS NOT MOVING VERY QUICKLY, THAT THE DOOR COULD BE CLOSED AND LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE.  HE STATED THAT HE HAD HIS WIFE (PASSENGER) REACH BACK TO SEE IF SHE COULD PUSH THE LEVER WHICH WOULD FINISH CLOSING AND LOCKING THE DOOR; HOWEVER, SHE MISTAKENLY PULLED THE DOOR RETAINING BRACKET, WHICH ALLOWED THE DOOR TO SWING OPEN, BREAKING THE ATTACHING HINGES.  THE TAKE OFF ROLL WAS ABORTED AND THE TOWER WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE DOOR HAD DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS LAYING ON THE RUNWAY.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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