Raytheon Aircraft Company C90A accident near Bismarck, North Dakota, July 23, 2009
On July 23, 2009 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company C90A, registered N405DD, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Bismarck, North Dakota (Bismarck Municipal Airport). It was an executive or corporate 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 cabin entry door inadvertently opening during initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2009 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bismarck, North Dakota · Bismarck Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raytheon Aircraft Company C90A
- Registration
- N405DD · registry record · serial LJ1748
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had the copilot close the cabin entry door, which later came open while the airplane climbed through 500 feet above ground level after takeoff. The pilot executed a return to the departure airport where the airplane was landed without further incident. The door remained attached at the hinge and about half of the door skin was pulled away resulting in damage to the airplane pressure vessel. The pilot stated that the CABIN DOOR annunciator was never illuminated. The operator reported that all the door latches were in the extended positions after the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during initial climb defining event
- Part(s) separation from AC during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Doors › Passenger/crew doors › Unintentional use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,843 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 2,367 as pilot in command; 1,434 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 27, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Last flight review: March 20, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,037 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 20, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-21 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Und Aerospace Foundation
The flight
- Departed from: BIS Bismarck ND at 5:20 pm
- Destination: GFK Grand Forks ND
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 8,794 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:52 pm from BIS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.