Bonanza 36
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 75; Flight Crew Total 1300; Flight Crew Type 350
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft; Human Factors
Departed on an IFR flight plan in VMC conditions. Tower switched me to Departure. Made contact and was cleared to 7;000 FT. At 3;200 FT I noticed my door slightly ajar. I requested to level at 5;000 FT; so that I could look more closely at the problem to allow me time to decide next steps. Level off at 5;000 was approved and they asked that I keep them advised. They game me an assigned heading of 050. As I was leveling at 5;000 the door started to open more; at that point I was concerned that it was going to come completely off the hinges. I kept my right hand holding the door; and I tried to contact Approach on comm 1; but no joy. The radio at that point appeared to also be having problems. At that point my main concern was the door and getting down as quickly as possible and that was priority. I canceled my IFR but not sure Departure confirmed. I went to 7600 on the beacon code; did an immediate 180 and went direct to the nearest airport. I switched to comm 2 which worked; got in contact with Tower; declared an inbound emergency and was cleared to land on without incident.
BE36 pilot notices his door ajar climbing through 3;200 FT and requests a level off at 5;000 FT. The door cannot be closed in flight and a request to divert is made to ATC; but comm 1 has apparently failed. Reporter squawks 7600 and turns toward the nearest airport and is able to communicate on comm 2 with the Tower prior to landing.