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20240212001039I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 · Buffalo, NY · February 12, 2024

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 12, 2024 · 17:42 local
Place
Buffalo, NY
Airport
Buffalo Niagara International
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N568CA
Reported as
Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40
Reported engine
Lycoming IO-360-M1A+
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,300 total1,000 in this make and model
N568CARegistered now · Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40S/N 40.711 · Built 2006Airframe modelDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 40Engine modelLycoming IO-360-M1A+Reciprocating

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.

The following is the pilot 's statement:

On 12FEB24 at about 1645 EST me the pilot and my (non-pilot) passenger arrived at kbuf ga ramp at oncore aviation/signature and conducted a preflight. Flight was VFR for a sightseeing tour of the stadium and possible dinner at privacy data omittedor return to kbuf.

I completed preflight iaw checklist and demonstrated the rear door to the passenger and verified closed. I checked the rear door before departure as final checks at hold short of rwy 14. I was seated in front left sear, passenger in front right seat.

At about 1200 ft MSL a rear open door alarm sounded. There was no adverse noise nor wind at this time. I silenced the alarm. I was assigned a 230 degree heading by ATC and checked in with buf departure.

At about 1800 ft MSL the alarm sounded again and wind/noise were heard. I asked passenger to try to secure the rear door, he was unable. I then tried to secure the rear door. As I touched the handle, the door departed the aircraft. We were located approx 6 to 8 miles from kbuf airport headed towards privacy data omitted.

I made a 180 degree turn back towards kbuf and declared an emergency.

The plane was normally controllable and I landed on rwy 32 and taxied to signature ga ramp at kbuf. Met with nfta fire and police for reporting.

No injuries noted to me nor my passenger

To my knowledge the missing rear door has not been recovered.

As the FAA filed it

THE FOLLOWING IS THE PILOT 'S STATEMENT:

ON 12FEB24 AT ABOUT 1645 EST ME THE PILOT AND MY (NON-PILOT) PASSENGER ARRIVED AT KBUF GA RAMP AT ONCORE AVIATION/SIGNATURE AND CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT. FLIGHT WAS VFR FOR A SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF THE STADIUM AND POSSIBLE DINNER AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^OR RETURN TO KBUF.

I COMPLETED PREFLIGHT IAW CHECKLIST AND DEMONSTRATED THE REAR DOOR TO THE PASSENGER AND VERIFIED CLOSED. I CHECKED THE REAR DOOR BEFORE DEPARTURE AS FINAL CHECKS AT HOLD SHORT OF RWY 14. I WAS SEATED IN FRONT LEFT SEAR, PASSENGER IN FRONT RIGHT SEAT.

AT ABOUT 1200 FT MSL A REAR OPEN DOOR ALARM SOUNDED. THERE WAS NO ADVERSE NOISE NOR WIND AT THIS TIME. I SILENCED THE ALARM. I WAS ASSIGNED A 230 DEGREE HEADING BY ATC AND CHECKED IN WITH BUF DEPARTURE.

AT ABOUT 1800 FT MSL THE ALARM SOUNDED AGAIN AND WIND/NOISE WERE HEARD. I ASKED PASSENGER TO TRY TO SECURE THE REAR DOOR, HE WAS UNABLE. I THEN TRIED TO SECURE THE REAR DOOR. AS I TOUCHED THE HANDLE, THE DOOR DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. WE WERE LOCATED APPROX 6 TO 8 MILES FROM KBUF AIRPORT HEADED TOWARDS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

I MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TOWARDS KBUF AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY.

THE PLANE WAS NORMALLY CONTROLLABLE AND I LANDED ON RWY 32 AND TAXIED TO SIGNATURE GA RAMP AT KBUF. MET WITH NFTA FIRE AND POLICE FOR REPORTING.

NO INJURIES NOTED TO ME NOR MY PASSENGER

TO MY KNOWLEDGE THE MISSING REAR DOOR HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED.