In-Flight Separation of Baggage Door on Raytheon 390 (Premier 1) ZS-PFE

Incident Overview and Flight Details On 15 December 2007, a Raytheon 390 (Premier 1) aircraft, registration ZS-PFE, was operating a scheduled charter flight from George Aerodrome (FAGG) in the Western Cape to Lanseria Aerodrome (FALA) in Gauteng. The aircraft was operated by Waste Product Utilisation (Pty) Ltd. The flight carried one pilot, one crew member, and five passengers. ## Sequence of Events During the descent for Lanseria at an altitude of 10,000 feet AMSL, a loud thud was heard, and the baggage door warning light illuminated simultaneously. The aircraft continued to Lanseria and completed an uneventful landing. Upon inspection after landing, it was discovered that the left aft baggage door, located below the left engine, was missing. ## Damage and Injuries The aircraft sustained minor damage, including a dented left engine nacelle intake, a cracked starter generator vent, and two small dents in the fuselage just above the left-hand baggage door. The left engine lower cowling door was also found to be missing. All occupants escaped unharmed, with no injuries or fatalities reported. ## Investigation and Probable Cause The pilot stated that the baggage door had been closed and latched properly prior to takeoff, in accordance with a safety communiqué issued by Raytheon Aircraft in March 2007. However, testing revealed that the baggage door warning light would not illuminate if latches 1 or 2 were not properly secured, only when the door was fully opened. The investigation concluded that the pilot likely did not latch and secure the left aft baggage door properly prior to takeoff, causing it to open during flight. The missing doors were not recovered, preventing further physical examination.