On June 21, 1986, a Cessna 404 (registration N4450M) operated by Stan Herman was involved in an aviation accident near ST Marys, AK. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A crew door flew open and took a section of the cabin roof with it during descent into St. Mary's, Alaska. The pilot managed to land safely without further incident.
What happened
While descending toward St. Mary's, Alaska, the warning light indicating an ajar door illuminated inside the cockpit. The pilot-in-command immediately began checking the status of the doors. After verifying the rear door was secure, the pilot attended to the front crew door. As the handle was being manipulated, the door suddenly flew open with significant force. The detachment took approximately one square foot of the adjacent cabin roof panel along with it. Despite this sudden structural loss, the pilot successfully slowed the aircraft and completed a landing without any further complications or damage to the airframe's integrity.
The investigation
The source text does not provide details on mechanical examination or post-accident inspection findings.
A SkyWalk Join't 3 paraglider crashed into the ground near Las Vizcachas, Chile, on September 1, 2024. The pilot and passenger sustained serious spinal…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2024-09-01DGAC Chile
A Cessna 172N struck electrical cables while on final approach to land at Aucó Aerodrome in Chile. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained damage…
A Bombardier DHC-8-402 suffered a tail strike during landing at Puerto Williams on September 9, 2024. All 76 occupants were unharmed, but the aircraft…
A MYD JS-MD 3 glider veered off the runway and struck a wall at Vitacura Aerodrome on January 6, 2025. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained…
A recreational paraglider flight in Puchuncaví, Chile, ended with the pilot sustaining serious injuries after a rapid descent and impact with a hillside on…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2025-03-29DGAC Chile
A Tecnam P2006T landed on its belly at an aerodrome in Poland after the crew failed to confirm landing gear deployment. The incident resulted in no injuries…