DA40 Diamond Star
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 105; Flight Crew Total 550; Flight Crew Type 200
Human-Machine Interface
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Human Factors; Aircraft
During a night cross country training flight the instructor noticed the rear door wasn't fully secure. The instructor attempted to secure the rear door by re-setting the latch and accidentally hit the emergency latch which caused the rear door to be ripped off the airplane in flight. The aircraft was safely flown back to the home airport.
DA40 instructor pilot attempted to secure a rear door that was not fully latched in flight; resulting in the emergency latch being accidentally hit and the door departing the aircraft.