What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 22 April, 2025, in Nome, AK, the PIC conducted aircraft door familiarization with newer medical personnel prior to departure. Prior to departure the PIC closed and locked the door and had zero indication that the door was unlocked and not secured. If the door had not been closed and locked, a warning light would have been illuminated in the cockpit. The aircrat took off with no issues and as the aircraft was climbing through an altitude of approximately 17,000 feet the PIC noticed a flickering warning light, turned around to ensure the medical crew were in their seats, when the aircraft door opened. The PIC declared and emergency and returned to Nome. The door did not separate from the fuselage and was dragged on the ground as the aircraft landed and taxied back to its parking location. There were no reported injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON 22 APRIL, 2025, IN NOME, AK, THE PIC CONDUCTED AIRCRAFT DOOR FAMILIARIZATION WITH NEWER MEDICAL PERSONNEL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE THE PIC CLOSED AND LOCKED THE DOOR AND HAD ZERO INDICATION THAT THE DOOR WAS UNLOCKED AND NOT SECURED. IF THE DOOR HAD NOT BEEN CLOSED AND LOCKED, A WARNING LIGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN ILLUMINATED IN THE COCKPIT. THE AIRCRAT TOOK OFF WITH NO ISSUES AND AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING THROUGH AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 17,000 FEET THE PIC NOTICED A FLICKERING WARNING LIGHT, TURNED AROUND TO ENSURE THE MEDICAL CREW WERE IN THEIR SEATS, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DOOR OPENED. THE PIC DECLARED AND EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO NOME. THE DOOR DID NOT SEPARATE FROM THE FUSELAGE AND WAS DRAGGED ON THE GROUND AS THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AND TAXIED BACK TO ITS PARKING LOCATION. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES.