- Date
- August 31, 2008, 13:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Carlsbad, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2699YFairchild SW3
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Part(s) separation from AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- ABQ FSDO, FAA FSDO
- Case key
- 68864
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the door to remain secure for undetermined reasons.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While en route to his destination, the 12,250-hour airline transport pilot experienced variations in the airplane's cabin pressure. The pilot removed his noise-cancelling headset and was able to detect an air leak from the area of the entrance door. Moments later, the airplane encountered turbulence and the door departed the airplane causing substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot declared an emergency and was able to land at the nearest suitable airfield. During his preflight inspection, the pilot, who reported 5,200 hours in make and model, secured the door "normally," but could not recall if he visually confirmed that the door was secured. The fuselage door frame did not display signs of deformation where the entrance door's bayonets seat into the door frame. The door was not recovered and an examination for mechanical failure could not be conducted.
Factual narrative
While en route to his destination, the 12,250-hour airline transport pilot experienced variations in the airplane's cabin pressure. The pilot removed his noise-cancelling headset and was able to detect an air leak from the area of the entrance door. Moments later, the airplane encountered turbulence and the door departed the airplane causing substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot declared an emergency and was able to land at the nearest suitable airfield. During his preflight inspection, the pilot, who reported 5,200 hours in make and model, secured the door "normally," but could not recall if he visually confirmed that the door was secured. The fuselage door frame did not display signs of deformation where the entrance door's bayonets seat into the door frame. The door was not recovered and an examination for mechanical failure could not be conducted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2699Y
- Reported as
- Fairchild SW3
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AC666
- Airframe hours
- 30,488.5
- Engines
- Garrett TPE-331, turbo propGarrett TPE-331, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- McNeely Charter Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 1, 2008 · 64.1 hours before
- Departed
- ELP · El Paso, TX
- Destination
- CNM · Carlsbad, NM
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CNM · Cavern City Air Trml
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,250 total · 5,200 in this make and model · 12,000 as pilot in command · 228 in the last 90 days · 64 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Observed at
- CNM, 30 nm away