Columbia 350 N6500V

Summary

On 15 September 2006 at about 17:15 local time, a Columbia 350 registered N6500V, operated by Mark T. Prall, was involved in an accident near Bloomington, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 September 2006 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Bloomington, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

39.1461, -86.6167

Aircraft

Columbia 350

Registration

N6500V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Mark T. Prall

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bloomington → Evansville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI06CA267

Nobody was injured.

The pilot did not comply with the pilot operating handbook warning when he intentionally opened the cabin door during flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The left main entry door departed the airplane when the pilot opened the door during flight. The pilot reported that after departure he noticed a carpet strap was hanging out of the left door and flapping against the airplane. He turned on the autopilot and decided to open the door in order to pull the strap inside. He reported he was unable to hang on to the door and it departed the airplane. The pilot reported he needed stitches because the door was ripped from his hand. The pilot contacted the departure airport stating he was returning to land, but then decided to continue the flight to an airport which was approximately 60 statute miles away where there was a certified Columbia service center. The airplane was landed without incident. Examination of the airplane revealed the door contacted and punctured the right wing. It then contacted and punctured the right horizontal stabilizer. The emergency procedures section in the pilot operating handbook (POH) contains a warning which states, "Do not open the cabin doors in flight. The air loads placed on the doors in flight will damage them and can cause separation from the airplane. A damaged or separated door will alter the flight characteristics of the airplane and possibly damage other control surfaces." The POH also states the following warning in the Doors section of the Description of the Airplane and Systems section: "If the red "Door Open" annunciator light is on or the aural warning is playing, then one or more doors are not properly secured, and the airplane is unsafe to fly."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.