# NTSB NYC04IA116: Dornier DO-328-100, N441JS, Allentown, PA, May 3, 2004 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: May 3, 2004, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Allentown, PA - Coordinates: 40.652221, -75.440277 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6522&lon=-75.4403&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 30 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 7, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 59160 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC04IA116 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59160/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04IA116 ## Probable cause The opening of the main cabin door after takeoff, for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, takeoff - initial climb - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - door,passenger - open (cause) ## Analysis As the landing gear was retracted during takeoff, the flightcrew heard a "loud boom," and received an "unsafe door condition" warning. They confirmed that the main cabin door had opened, declared an emergency, and returned to land uneventfully. The flight attendant was seated adjacent to the door handle during the takeoff; however, she could not recall if she may have inadvertently rested her arm on the door handle while seated. Examination of the door and its locking mechanisms revealed no mechanical deficiencies. Data downloaded from the airplane's flight data recorder (FDR) revealed the "Doors" parameter indicated "Open" approximately 1.7 seconds after the Air/Ground parameter indicated "Air". No additional anomalies were noted. ## Factual narrative On May 3, 2004, at 1230 eastern daylight time, a Dornier DO-328-100, N441JS, operated by PSA Airlines, as US Airways Express flight 2447, was not damaged when the main cabin door blew open after takeoff from the Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), Allentown, Pennsylvania. The two certificated airline transport pilots, a flight attendant, and 27 passengers were not injured. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight which was destined for Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the passenger flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 121. According to the flightcrew, as the landing gear was retracted during takeoff, they heard a "loud boom," followed by a rush of air. The red warning panel, master warning and triple-chime alerted them to an "unsafe door condition." They confirmed through the Doors System Page, that the main cabin door had opened. The crew then declared an emergency and initiated a left turn to land on runway 6. A landing was performed without incident and the passengers were deplaned normally at the gate. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, revealed no mechanical deficiencies with the door or its locking mechanisms. Additionally, the design of the "unsafe door condition" warning system consisted of an EICAS warning if the door was not closed prior to takeoff, and the contact of three microswitches in the door to cancel the warning. According to the FAA inspector, the flight attendant had no memory of the flight after the takeoff roll. She could not recall whether or not she may have inadvertently rested her arm on the door handle while seated in the jumpseat. The handle of the door was located approximately one foot from the shoulder position of the flight attendant's jumpseat. Additionally, the incident flight was the flight attendant's third flight after completing her initial training with the airline. The airplane's flight data recorder (FDR) was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Vehicle Recorder Laboratory for readout. According to the FDR Group Chairman's Factual Report, the downloaded data revealed the "Doors" parameter indicated "Open" approximately 1.7 seconds after the Air/Ground parameter indicated "Air," and the MFD_Sys Page Selected F/O parameter indicated "Doors" approximately 36.6 seconds after the Doors parameter indicated "Open." No additional anomalies were noted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N441JS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N441JS-2006-02-07), registration cancelled 2006-02-07, S/N 3059, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Dornier DO-328-100 - Registry model: [Dornier Luftfahrt 328-100](https://openairdocs.org/model/dornier-luftfahrt-328-100) (registry code 2996100) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PW119B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pw119b) (registry code 52133, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3059 - Airframe hours: 22127 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney 119B turbo prop - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Psa Airlines Inc - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Bank Northwest - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 26, 2004, 254 hours before - Departed: ABE, Allentown, PA - Destination: PHL, Philadelphia, PA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ABE, Lehigh Valley International, runway 6, 7,600 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 15, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 3,700 total, 2,799 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 39; injuries: none; flight engineer, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review July 31, 2003; seat: right; flight hours: 10,400 total, 527 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 7 knots - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,700 ft broken - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: ABE ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20040503019809I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040503019809I), May 3, 2004: Dorner DO328100, Allentown, PA, Minor damage. (-23) On takeoff, cabin door came completely open. Flight attendant reached across aisle to passengers in seats 1D and 1F for assistance. Allegheny commuter… 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.