What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 6, 2019, at approximately 1443 PST (pacific standard time), las Vegas metro police department (lvmpd) received a call from a citizen in the area of 4783 east san miguel ave. the person reporting was driving west bound on east san miguel ave. when her vehicle was struck by two landing gear pins with attached flags that fell from the sky. At the same time the person reporting also noticed a larger object falling from the sky, which landed next to an apartment building. The larger object turned out to be an aft engine access door for a mcdonnel Douglas A-4 skyhawk (N147EM). Subsequent investigation determined the following facts:
At approximately 1440HRS a draken owned & operated Mcdonnell Douglas A-4K skyhawk (N147EM) took off from nellis air force base (klsv).
Shortly after takeoff a draken maintenance employee noticed items falling from the aircraft, as the aircraft was making its initial n/b turn.
The aircraft landed without further incident.
The aft engine access door, screwdriver and secure pins were collected from the site and brought to the las Vegas Nevada FSDO for further inspection.
The aft engine access door was examined by FAA airworthiness inspectors on June 7, 2019 in an attempt to determine if the door contained evidence of failure. All three latches and pins on the access door were fastened in the lock position. This evidence also concurs with photos of the access door at the site. No evidence of failure was noted on the access door.
On June 7, 2019, the involved aircraft was examined by FAA operations and airworthiness inspectors at nellis afb and it was noted that right hand (r/h) side corner hinge pin was deformed and had evidence of excessive wear/fatigue and may have contributed to the access door failing at the r/h hinge point and separating from the aircraft while inflight.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 6, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 1443 PST (PACIFIC STANDARD TIME), LAS VEGAS METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT (LVMPD) RECEIVED A CALL FROM A CITIZEN IN THE AREA OF 4783 EAST SAN MIGUEL AVE. THE PERSON REPORTING WAS DRIVING WEST BOUND ON EAST SAN MIGUEL AVE. WHEN HER VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY TWO LANDING GEAR PINS WITH ATTACHED FLAGS THAT FELL FROM THE SKY. AT THE SAME TIME THE PERSON REPORTING ALSO NOTICED A LARGER OBJECT FALLING FROM THE SKY, WHICH LANDED NEXT TO AN APARTMENT BUILDING. THE LARGER OBJECT TURNED OUT TO BE AN AFT ENGINE ACCESS DOOR FOR A MCDONNEL DOUGLAS A-4 SKYHAWK (N147EM). SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THE FOLLOWING FACTS:
AT APPROXIMATELY 1440HRS A DRAKEN OWNED & OPERATED MCDONNELL DOUGLAS A-4K SKYHAWK (N147EM) TOOK OFF FROM NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE (KLSV).
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF A DRAKEN MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEE NOTICED ITEMS FALLING FROM THE AIRCRAFT, AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAKING ITS INITIAL N/B TURN.
THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
THE AFT ENGINE ACCESS DOOR, SCREWDRIVER AND SECURE PINS WERE COLLECTED FROM THE SITE AND BROUGHT TO THE LAS VEGAS NEVADA FSDO FOR FURTHER INSPECTION.
THE AFT ENGINE ACCESS DOOR WAS EXAMINED BY FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS ON JUNE 7, 2019 IN AN ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE IF THE DOOR CONTAINED EVIDENCE OF FAILURE. ALL THREE LATCHES AND PINS ON THE ACCESS DOOR WERE FASTENED IN THE LOCK POSITION. THIS EVIDENCE ALSO CONCURS WITH PHOTOS OF THE ACCESS DOOR AT THE SITE. NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE WAS NOTED ON THE ACCESS DOOR.
ON JUNE 7, 2019, THE INVOLVED AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY FAA OPERATIONS AND AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS AT NELLIS AFB AND IT WAS NOTED THAT RIGHT HAND (R/H) SIDE CORNER HINGE PIN WAS DEFORMED AND HAD EVIDENCE OF EXCESSIVE WEAR/FATIGUE AND MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCESS DOOR FAILING AT THE R/H HINGE POINT AND SEPARATING FROM THE AIRCRAFT WHILE INFLIGHT.