Incident Summary
Following departure from runway 03R at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Romulus, Michigan, the aircraft declared an emergency. The aircraft came to rest on a magnetic heading of 055 degrees, approximately 3,400 feet from and 1,900 feet to the left of the departure end and centerline of runway 03R.
Aircraft Examination
Inspection of the forward section of the fuselage door and surrounding area revealed a circular impression approximately 2 feet 6-1/2 inches from the door hinge line, with no exposure of the underlying metal. The door was opened to a position nearly flush with the aircraft's fuselage, and the door handle matched the circular impression in position and shape. No tearing or fracturing of the forward fuselage door pin tips or their pin holes was observed.
Examination of the door's latching mechanism identified a brown colored nail connecting the handle and vertical latches. Both engine supercharger turbine wheels showed scoring and deformation of the impeller blades in the plane of rotation.
Flight control continuity was established for the aileron, elevator, and rudder. The elevator trim was found in the neutral position, and the trailing edge flaps were retracted. Both engine oil screens showed no evidence of metal contamination.
Probable Cause
The official findings stated that the probable cause was the aircraft control not maintained and the inadvertent stall by the pilot while maneuvering to the landing area, with the open door being a contributing factor.