Dornier DO-328-100 incident near Allentown, Pennsylvania, May 3, 2004
On May 3, 2004 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Dornier DO-328-100, registered N441JS, was involved in an incident near Allentown, Pennsylvania (Lehigh Valley International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 30 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The opening of the main cabin door after takeoff, for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2004 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Allentown, Pennsylvania · Lehigh Valley International · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 30 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dornier DO-328-100
- Registration
- N441JS · no longer on the register · serial 3059
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the landing gear was retracted during takeoff, the flightcrew heard a "loud boom," and received an "unsafe door condition" warning. They confirmed that the main cabin door had opened, declared an emergency, and returned to land uneventfully. The flight attendant was seated adjacent to the door handle during the takeoff; however, she could not recall if she may have inadvertently rested her arm on the door handle while seated. Examination of the door and its locking mechanisms revealed no mechanical deficiencies. Data downloaded from the airplane's flight data recorder (FDR) revealed the "Doors" parameter indicated "Open" approximately 1.7 seconds after the Air/Ground parameter indicated "Air". No additional anomalies were noted.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all; 2,799 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 15, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,400 hours in all; 527 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 31, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 22,127 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 26, 2004; 254 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 30,843 lb
- Seats: 35
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney 119B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Psa Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: ABE Allentown PA at 3:55 pm
- Destination: PHL Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6, 7,600 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,700 ft; a few clouds at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from ABE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 27 |
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.