AN IMPROPERLY LATCHED CABIN DOOR LEADS TO AN EMERGENCY LANDING AND GEAR COLLAPSE AT ZZZ FOR PA38 PLT.

2007-07 · NASA ASRS report 747683

Date: 2007-07 · Aircraft: PA-38 Tomahawk · Phase: landing

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe|ground-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control|ground-excursion-ramp

Synopsis

AN IMPROPERLY LATCHED CABIN DOOR LEADS TO AN EMERGENCY LANDING AND GEAR COLLAPSE AT ZZZ FOR PA38 PLT.

Narrative

THIS WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT; NOR WAS THERE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. WHILE ON A VFR FLT PLAN; I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED FLT FOLLOWING FROM APCH. AS I WAS HANDED OFF AND LEVELING AT MY INTENDED CRUISE ALT OF 6500 FT; I NOTICED THE COCKPIT NOISE SEEMED UNUSUALLY LOUD. AT FIRST I THOUGHT MY SUNGLASSES WERE INTERFERING WITH MY HEADSET. I TOOK THE SUNGLASSES OFF; BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. WHEN I NOTICED THE PAX SIDE DOOR LATCH WAS UP; I REACHED OVER AND PUSHED IT DOWN. IT IMMEDIATELY POPPED UP AGAIN. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THE OVERHEAD LOCK MECHANISM WAS NOT ENGAGED ON THE PAX DOOR AND THERE WAS A 2-3 INCH OPENING BTWN THE TOP OF THE DOOR AND THE COCKPIT CANOPY. THIS GAP WAS THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE. I KNOW AN OPEN DOOR SHOULD NOT POSE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO FLT SAFETY; HOWEVER; I DID WANT TO LAND ASAP TO CLOSE IT. ZZZ WAS IN SIGHT AT 12 O'CLOCK POS. I DECLARED AN EMER WITH APCH; REQUESTED A STRAIGHT-IN LNDG AT ZZZ AND BEGAN A DSCNT. ZZZ TWR CLRED ME TO LAND. ONCE I HAD THE RWY MADE; I LEVELED OFF AND REDUCED PWR. THE SLOWER SPD ALLOWED THE DOOR TO OPEN EVEN MORE AND THE NOISE INCREASED. I BECAME CONCERNED THAT ITEMS MIGHT BEGIN BLOWING AROUND IN THE COCKPIT. AS SOON AS I WAS OVER PAVED RWY; I FLARED AND LANDED; EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD. IT WAS ONLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN THAT I SAW BARRICADES HAD BEEN PLACED ACROSS THE RWY. I SUCCESSFULLY STEERED THE NOSEWHEEL THROUGH AN OPENING IN THE BARRIERS. THERE WAS A THUMP; BUT THE ROLLOUT SEEMED NORMAL UNTIL THE ACFT HAD ALMOST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AT THAT TIME; THE R WING DROPPED MAKING CONTACT WITH THE RWY AND THE ACFT PIVOTED AROUND THE DOWNED WING AND OFF THE RWY ONTO A GRAVEL SHOULDER. I SHUT DOWN; GOT OUT AND ONLY THEN REALIZED MY R MAIN LNDG GEAR WAS GONE. A THIN STREAM OF FUEL WAS COMING OUT OF THE R WING TANK. I WALKED SOME DISTANCE AWAY IN CASE OF FIRE. AFTER SOME MINS; AN ARPT OPS OFFICER ARRIVED. I DECLINED HIS OFFER TO CALL MEDICAL PERSONNEL SINCE I WAS OK; HOWEVER; I POINTED OUT THE FUEL LEAK REQUIRED ATTN. HE CALLED FOR A FIRE CREW WHO ARRIVED AND PLACED A CONTAINER UNDER THE LEAK AND STOOD BY WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. PERSONNEL FROM AN ON-FIELD MAINT SHOP CAME OUT AND STOPPED THE LEAK; JACKED THE WING UP AND TOWED THE ACFT TO THEIR FACILITY. SOME LCL PLTS CAME BY THE HANGAR TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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