# Incident 20260127001159I: Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA 40, Sacramento, CA, January 27, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 27, 2026, 22:10 local time
- Place: Sacramento, CA
- Airport: Sacramento International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.6954° N, 121.5908° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SACRAMENTO INTL (SMF), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6954&lon=-121.5908&mi=10
- Aircraft: N557AF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N557AF) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 (registry code 2990002, https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da-40) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-M1A+ (registry code 41869, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-m1a-plus) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 40
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 135 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260127001159I

## Narrative

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

PILOT REPORT---DURING PREFLIGHT THERE WERE NO EVIDENT ISSUES WITH THE DOOR OR LATCH SYSTEM. THE PASSENGER LATCHED THE REAR DOOR AND I VISUALLY CHECKED THAT IT WAS LATCHED. WHILE TAXIING TO RUNWAY 17R WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY DOOR OPEN NOTIFICATIONS. AFTER TAKEOFF, I TURNED LEFT CROSSWIND TO HEAD BACK TO AUBURN AND WAS ALTITUDE RESTRICTED BELOW 2,500 FEET. AT APPROXIMATELY 2,200 FEET AND 100 KNOTS THE REAR PASSENGER/CARGO DOOR DETACHED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE PPL WAS IN THE RIGHT SEAT, AND HE TOLD NORCAL THAT WE WERE RETURNING TO SACRAMENTO (KSMF).

PASSENGER STATEMENT LOCATED AT THE REAR DOOR---I WAS PICKED UP AT KSMF BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE AIRCRAFT.  I LOADED MY BAGS INTO THE AIRCRAFT AND TOOK A SEAT IN THE REAR SEAT ON THE PILOT SIDE. AFTER ENTERING, I CLOSED THE DOOR. I DID NOT OBSERVE ANYTHING ABNORMAL WITH THE DOOR AT THAT TIME.

THE ENGINE WAS STARTED, AND WE TAXIED AND DEPARTED NORMALLY. I DID NOT HEAR ANY DOOR WARNING ANNUNCIATIONS, ALERTS, OR ABNORMAL SOUNDS DURING ENGINE START, TAXI, OR TAKEOFF.

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE TURNING CROSSWIND, THE REAR PILOT-SIDE DOOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT.   I DID NOT OBSERVE ANY LATCH IN THE OPEN POSITION PRIOR TO THE SEPARATION AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY ABNORMAL INDICATIONS BEFORE THE EVENT.

UPON THE DOOR SEPARATING, THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A TURN TO RE-ENTER THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.  WE ENTERED THE DOWNWIND AND COMPLETED A NORMAL LANDING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

A REPORT WAS ALSO ISSUED TO THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER ABOUT THIS INCIDENT.

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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