ATL82FKQ16

Factual narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING FLIGHT, THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR SUDDENLY OPENED AFTER LIGHT TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE PILOT FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURE, AS PRESCRIBED BY THE OWNER'S MANUAL, TO SECURE AND CLOSE THE DOOR. AS A PRECAUTION, HE CANCELED THE REMAINDER OF THE FLIGHT, AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT TO LAND. JUST BEFORE TURNING FROM DOWNWIND TO BASE LEG, THE DOOR SUDDENLY OPENED AGAIN. THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH WITHOUT RECLOSING THE DOOR. THE DOOR BEGAN TO BUFFET AND LEFT RUDDER WAS USED TO COMPENSATE FOR YAW AND DRAG. WHILE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND BOUNCED. POWER WAS APPLIED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION. THE PLANE RESPONDED IN A SEVERE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY BANKING SHARPLY TO THE LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. AS THE OCCUPANTS EGRESSED FROM THE PLANE, IT BEGAN TO BURN AND WAS DESTROYED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12