N2031W

On July 2, 1997, at 1950 hours Pacific daylight time, a Beech 95-B55, N2031W, en route to Palm Springs, California, made an emergency landing after a door came open in flight. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight by Military Aircraft Restoration Corporation when the accident occurred. The flight originated in Chino, California, at 1930. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported that he had taken off from the Chino airport after deplaning a passenger. During takeoff he heard wind noise coming from the right cabin door. He said thought the door would remain locked and so elected to continue the flight rather than returning to Chino to re-secure the door.

The pilot had leveled off at 5,000 feet msl, when the right cabin door suddenly popped open. From his position in the left seat, he grabbed the door handle with his right hand and unsuccessfully attempted to close the door.

After unsuccessfully attempting to close the door, he tried to reduce his airspeed by retarding the throttles. Without looking at the control quadrant, he reached and brought back the prop levers that are located on the left side of the quadrant. Since the levers also serve as feather switches when they are in the full decrease position, both props went into full feather. The pilot realized his mistake and attempted to bring both props out of feather, but was unable because the aircraft was not equipped with unfeathering accumulators.

The pilot first attempted to restart the left engine and then the right; however, he was unsuccessful in both attempts. Next, he tried restarting the left engine again. During this try the engine started but it sputtered and, in his opinion, was not developing enough power to allow him to arrest his descent and maintain safe single engine airspeed.

At this point, the aircraft had descended to about 200 feet agl and was continuing to lose altitude. Rather than waiting to see if the engine power would increase, the pilot decided to make an emergency landing. He retarded the throttles, turned off the battery switch, and landed gear-up in an open field.

A postaccident inspection of the aircraft by FAA airworthiness inspectors revealed damage to both nacelles, props, and wings, as well as the belly and empennage.

The pilot reported that he regularly flies a number of multiengine aircraft in which the throttles are located on the left side of the quadrant. In the circumstances that preceded the accident he said he reacted instinctively, but erroneously, when he feathered the props. He also stated that he had not flown a 95-B55 since September 22, 1996, and then had completed only three flights, for a total of 8 hours, during the previous 12 months.