# NTSB NYC87IA258: Beech 99, N204BH, Portland, ME, September 2, 1987

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · Minor injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: September 2, 1987, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place: Portland, ME
- Location: 43.6332° N, 70.1853° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Portland, ME, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.6332&lon=-70.1853&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 10, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 30536
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC87IA258
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/30536/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC87IA258

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Miscellaneous/other, cruise
  - door,passenger - popped/tripped
  - miscellaneous equipment - inadvertent use, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE ACFT WAS CRUISING AT 2500 FT WITH NO PASSENGERS ON BOARD. THE CO-PILOT WENT INTO THE CABIN AND NOTICED A LOUD HISSING NOISE AROUND THE MAIN CABIN DOOR. HE CHECKED THE HANDLE AND LOCKING PINS AND NOTICED THE DOOR WAS LOCKED. HE TOLD THE CAPTAIN WHO DIRECTED HIM TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE CAPTAIN WENT BACK INTO THE CABIN TO CHECK THE DOOR. THE CAPTAIN SAID HE MAY HAVE BUMPED THE DOOR AND IT FLEW OPEN. HE WAS TANGLED UP IN THE DOOR CABLES AND STAYED WITH THE AIRCRAFT. HE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE CO-PILOT MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING AFTER DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. THE DOOR WAS EXAMINED AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND WITH THE DOOR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE WITHOUT REPAIR. BEECH AIRCRAFT COMPANY SAID THERE WOULD BE A 127 LB FORCE PULLING THE DOOR OUTWARD AT 200 KTAS AND 2500 FT. THE FLIGHT CREW HAD REPORTED THEY WERE IN NORMAL CRUISE WHEN THE DOOR OPENED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N204BH (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 99
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: U-47
- Airframe hours: 28700
- Engines: P&W PT-6-20 500 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 91
- Operator: Bar Harbor Airlines, doing business as Eastern Express
- Registered owner: Stewart M. Ayton
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Unknown, July 1, 1987, 30 hours before
- Departed: LEW, AUBURN, ME
- Destination: BOS, BOSTON, MA
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 45; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 4,351 total, 2,731 in this make and model, 3,778 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 102 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: PWM

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.

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