A BAE JETSTREAM 3100 IN CRUISE HAD THE BAGGAGE POD DOOR OPEN AND 3 BAGS WERE LOST.

Narrative

AFTER DEP FROM DBQ; CLBING THROUGH 2500 FT; THE FO AND I SAW THE POD DOOR LIGHT COME ON. AFTER CONSULTING THE EMER CHKLIST (WHICH CALLS FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF FLT); I CONTACTED MAINT CTL TO ASK ABOUT ANY CONSIDERATIONS OF FLT IF; INDEED; THE POD DOOR WAS OPEN. MAINT CTL TOLD ME IT WAS ALRIGHT TO CONTINUE THAT THERE ARE NO CHANGES IN FLT CHARACTERISTICS IF THE DOOR IS OPEN. 20 MI SE OF ROC; I FELT A THUD; AND NOTICED AN 8-10 KT DECREASE IN AIRSPD; FOLLOWED BY 2 MORE THUDS. I COULD FEEL THE DOOR SWINGING OPEN -- THERE WAS A SLIGHT YAWING MOTION. WE CONTACTED OUR OPS IN MINNEAPOLIS; THEN INFORMED APCH CTL AND MSP TWR THAT WE NEEDED A TRUCK TO INSPECT THE RWY/TXWY FOR POSSIBLE FOD. THERE WAS NONE FOUND; THE LNDG AND TAXI IN WERE WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE LOST 3 BAGS OUT OF THE POD AND IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THEY FELL OUT 20 MI SE OF ROC. INTERESTINGLY; 4 BAGS REMAINED IN THE POD AND WERE UNDAMAGED. OUR OPS TOLD ME THAT THE POD DOOR HAD OPENED TWICE BEFORE ON THIS PARTICULAR ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ACFT WAS A JETSTREAM DA3100. THE ACFT HAS A MAINT HISTORY ON THE POD DOOR OPENING INFLT. RPTR BELIEVES IT IS CAUSED BY THE TYPE OF LATCH HANDLE INSTALLED. IT IS A DIFFERENT CONFIGN THAN THE REST OF THE FLEET. ONLY 1 BAG OF THE 3 LOST WAS RECOVERED. RPTR STATES ANOTHER INCIDENT OF THE POD DOOR OPENING OCCURRED ON THIS AIRPLANE AFTER THIS RPT BUT NO BAGS WERE LOST. THE YAWING MOTION ENCOUNTERED WAS NOT SEVERE BUT COULD BE FELT. THE FAA HAS NOT CONTACTED THE RPTR.