20150723013139A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Israel Aircraft Industries 1125 WESTWIND ASTRA · Glen Burnie, MD · July 23, 2015

Date: July 23, 2015 · 20:50 local
Place: Glen Burnie, MD
Airport: Baltimore-Washington Internati
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N765A
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA15LA292
Reported as: Israel Aircraft Industries 1125 Westwind Astra
Reported engine: Garrett TFE-731 series
People aboard: 7
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,265 total285 in this make and model106 in the last 90 days

N765ARegistration cancelled Jul 19, 2019 · Israel Aircraft Industries 1125 WESTWIND ASTRAS/N 011 · Built 1986 Airframe modelIsrael Aircraft Industries 1125 WESTWIND ASTRA Engine modelGarrett TFE731 seriesTurbo-fan

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.

Co-pilot secured door and verified cabin door and cabin seal light were extinguished. The pilot taxied to the runway and began takeoff. During climb, at about 400 ft, pilot noticed both cabin door and cabin seal lights became illuminated. The co-pilot verified the lights were illuminated and checked security of the door. The door appeared secured and he did not hear any wind or other indication that the door may have come ajar. Both pilots agreed to return for a precautionary landing, and coordinated request with ATC. The pilot was assigned a heading and 2,000 ft AGL and told to contact potomac TRACON. Pilots contacted potomac TRACON and advised the TRACON that they would need to dump fuel before landing. Potomac TRACON assigned an easterly heading and 4,000 ft AGL. Upon reaching the assigned altitude the door blew open and took out communications. Pilots transmitted to ATC mayday mayday mayday and squawked 7700 with no response. The pilots were able to land without further incident.

As the FAA filed it

CO-PILOT SECURED DOOR AND VERIFIED CABIN DOOR AND CABIN SEAL LIGHT WERE EXTINGUISHED. THE PILOT TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY AND BEGAN TAKEOFF. DURING CLIMB, AT ABOUT 400 FT, PILOT NOTICED BOTH CABIN DOOR AND CABIN SEAL LIGHTS BECAME ILLUMINATED. THE CO-PILOT VERIFIED THE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED AND CHECKED SECURITY OF THE DOOR. THE DOOR APPEARED SECURED AND HE DID NOT HEAR ANY WIND OR OTHER INDICATION THAT THE DOOR MAY HAVE COME AJAR. BOTH PILOTS AGREED TO RETURN FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING, AND COORDINATED REQUEST WITH ATC. THE PILOT WAS ASSIGNED A HEADING AND 2,000 FT AGL AND TOLD TO CONTACT POTOMAC TRACON. PILOTS CONTACTED POTOMAC TRACON AND ADVISED THE TRACON THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DUMP FUEL BEFORE LANDING. POTOMAC TRACON ASSIGNED AN EASTERLY HEADING AND 4,000 FT AGL. UPON REACHING THE ASSIGNED ALTITUDE THE DOOR BLEW OPEN AND TOOK OUT COMMUNICATIONS. PILOTS TRANSMITTED TO ATC MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY AND SQUAWKED 7700 WITH NO RESPONSE. THE PILOTS WERE ABLE TO LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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 ERA15LA292Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBaltimore, MDThe flight crew's failure to visually ensure that the cabin door locking pin was in place before takeoff.Jul 24, 2015 · Substantial damage