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.