# NTSB CHI04LA053: Beech E-90, N48TA, Galesburg, IL, January 8, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 8, 2004, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Galesburg, IL - Coordinates: 40.938056, -90.431114 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9381&lon=-90.4311&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 7 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Raytheon Aircraft Company, Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58606 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI04LA053 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58606/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04LA053 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight by not complying with the airplane's before takeoff checklist to verify that the cabin door was secured leading to its in-flight separation from the airplane. A factor was that the door was not secured. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, climb - checklist - not complied with, pilot in command (cause) - door - not secured (contributing factor) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage when its cabin door opened in-flight, separated from the airplane, and impacted the empennage during climb out. A passenger closed the cabin door. The report, signed by the pilot, stated, "The door was not verified to be closed properly by the PIC." That report listed no mechanical malfunctions in reference to the flight. ## Factual narrative On January 8, 2004, about 1430 central standard time, a Beech E-90, N48TA, operated by Tidewater Aero, sustained substantial damage when the cabin door opened in-flight and impacted the empennage during climb out near Galesburg, Illinois. The non-scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 135. Visual metrological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was on file. The airline transport pilot and his six passengers reported no injuries. The flight originated at the Galesburg Municipal Airport (GBG), near Galesburg, Illinois, about 1425, and was destined for Mountain Empire Airport, near Marion, Virginia. The accident report, signed by the pilot, stated: At 1415 CST N48TA was loaded with one pilot, [pilot's name], PIC [pilot-in-command], for Tidewater Aero, two Virginia Beach (VA BCH) police officers, and [four] prisoners, being returned to VA BCH. The PIC was among the first aboard. A VA BCH police officer closed the aircraft door, while the PIC was in the cockpit. The door was not verified to be closed properly by the PIC. At 1425 CST, the aircraft departed [runway] 21 at GBG and started a climbing left turn. At approximately 2000 [feet] MSL, the "Cabin Door" annunciator light came on. At that point the PIC turned the aircraft further left to return to GBG for landing. Power was reduced, and the climb stopped. At [approximately] 1430 CST, 2 [miles southeast] of GBG, the door separated from the aircraft. ... Witness sitting at the side facing seat-opposite from the door said he could hear loud "air" noise coming from the door before it separated. Aircraft was in a left turn when the door separated. Upon returning to GBG, ground crew brought a ladder to unload passengers without incident. That report stated that "no one on board or on the ground was injured" and it listed no mechanical malfunctions in reference to the flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N48TA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N48TA-2020-05-29), registration cancelled 2020-05-29, S/N LW-283 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech E-90 - Registry model: [Beech E-90](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e-90) (registry code 1152914) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: LW-283 - Airframe hours: 8590.9 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-28 550 horsepower turbo prop; Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 550 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Tidewater Aero L L C - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, October 17, 2003 - Departed: GBG, Galesburg, IL - Destination: MKJ, MARION/WYTHEVIL, VA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: GBG, Galesburg Muni ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 6,500 total, 3,500 in this make and model, 4,500 as pilot in command, 130 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: GBG, 2 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040108000159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040108000159A), Jan 8, 2004: Beech E90, Galesburg, IL, Substantial damage. (-23) On January 8, 2004, about 1427 central standard time, a Beech E-90, N48TA, operated by tidewater aero, sustained substantial damage when the cabin door… ## Other investigations on N48TA (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 CEN17FA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA227), Jun 14, 2017: Beech E 90 (N48TA), Ruidoso, NM, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain after takeoff during dark night conditions. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.