# Accident 20230526005889A: Raytheon Aircraft Company B300, Melbourne, FL, May 26, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 26, 2023, 09:25 local time
- Place: Melbourne, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.1046° N, 80.6431° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.1046&lon=-80.6431&mi=10
- Aircraft: N680CB (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY B300
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 11,148 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23LA248](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA248) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230526005889A

## Narrative

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

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED MYAT ORIGINAL DESTINATION KGSP DIVERTED TO KMLB. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LEVELED AT FL340 NEAR MLB108098 BEING WORK BY ZMA R2 FREQUENCY 119.82 SQUAWKED EMERGENCY AND EXECUTED RAPID DESCENT FROM FL340 TO 120, THEN REESTABLISHED COMMUNICATION WITH R2 AND THEN ADVISED THOUGHT HE LOST PASSENGER DOOR. THE AIRCRAFT THEN LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. PILOT STATES THAT THE DOOR WAS LOST SOMEWHERE OVER THE OCEAN. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED A DOOR HINGE WAS LARGELY INTACT BUT WITH SEPARATED/MISSING HARDWARE WHERE IT ATTACHED TO THE DOOR. THE DOOR HINGE WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE SIDE. THE AIRSTAIR DOOR HANDLE ANCHOR ON THE FUSELAGE SIDE FAILED IN SHEER, DOOR DAMPER SUPPORT WAS BENT OUT OF SHAPE WITH UPPER BOLT HEAD SHEARED, FROM THE DOOR DEPARTING THE AIRCRAFT. THE DOOR PLATE STRIKERS (X6) ON THE FUSELAGE REMAINED UNDAMAGED. IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE IS EITHER WITHIN THE DOOR MECHANISM OR THE DOOR WAS NOT LATCHED PROPERLY. WHEN ASKED, THE PILOT WAS SURE HE ENGAGED THE DOOR LOCK PROPERLY BEFORE FLIGHT. BECAUSE THE MAIN DOOR IS MISSING, A FINAL DETERMINATION CANNOT BE MADE. NO FURTHER ACTION CAN BE TAKEN AT THIS TIME.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA23LA248](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA248), May 26, 2023: Raytheon B300 (N680CB), Melbourne, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: An inflight separation of the airplane’s airstair door for undetermined reasons.

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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