Amateur-built SH-7 incident near Sheldon Point, Alaska, August 30, 1992
On August 30, 1992 at about 4:26 am local time, a amateur-built SH-7, registered N53NS, suffered minor damage in an incident near Sheldon Point, Alaska (Sheldons Point airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE UNLATCHING OF THE LEFT CREW ENTRANCE DOOR BY MEANS UNDETERMINED AND THE LACK OF ADHERENCE TO DOOR CHECK ITEMS BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND ON THE REQUISITE CHECKLISTS. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE INCIDENT WAS THE SEPARATION OF THE DOOR FROM THE FRAME WHEN OPENED INTO THE SLIPSTREAM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1992 · about 4:26 am local time
- Place
- Sheldon Point, Alaska · Sheldons Point · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SH-7
- Registration
- N53NS · no longer on the register · serial 1920
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LEFT COCKPIT DOOR BEHIND PILOT THE POSITION OPENED INTO AIRSTREAM AT 50 FT AGL ON INITIAL CLIMBOUT. THE DOOR DEPARATED AND DAMAGED LEFT PROPELLER AND FUSELAGE SKIN. THE PILOT COMPLETED SINGLE ENGINE PROCEDURES AND PROCEDED IMC TO ALTERNATE AND COMPLETED IFR APPROACH AND LANDING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE DOOR WAS NOT FOUND. IT WAS UNDETERMINED IF THE DOOR LATCH MALFUNCTIONED FOR PERSONNEL FAILED TO CLOSE THE LATCH. COCKPIT LIGHTING DOES NOT ILLUMINATE AS A FUNCTION OF THE DOOR LATCH. THEE IS NO WARNING LIGHT TO WARN OF AN UNLATCHED DOOR. THE DOOR HINGES ARE MOUNTED ON THE AFT FRAME OF THE DOOR OPENING, THUS SWINGING REARWARD IN FRONT OF PROPELLER.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 3,200 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,837 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 26, 1992; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-2-201A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Camai Air
The flight
- Departed from: SXP at 11:27 pm
- Destination: KSM St Marys AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 2, 2,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 140° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.