Baron 58/58TC
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 4000; Flight Crew Type 50
Distraction; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Human Factors
I was the Pilot Not Flying in the right copilot seat. About 10 minutes into the flight we heard a noise. I looked and saw the copilot door was cracked open at the top. We immediately started talking about options to land. We were In VFR flight conditions on top talking to ATC. We discussed continuing to VFR condition further south on are flight path so we could descend to land in VFR conditions and re shut the door. That way in case the door came open we would not be shooting an IFR approach. We were talking to TRACON when the door opened. It blew my headset off and threw my head back against the copilot seat. The pilot called ATC and requested priority handling; stating we had a door open and needed to land. I never heard much off the ATC communication due to the wind blast and trying to hold the door shut. I tried several times to put my headset on but could not until we entered a downwind to land at ZZZ. During this time the pilot saw a VFR hole in the clouds and started to descend while talking to ATC. We landed without incident and checked the door and eventually finished our flight. After action I am taking the plane to an A&P to have the door pins checked.
A Beechcraft Baron pilot reported that the passenger side door opened in flight necessitating an immediate diversion to the nearest airport.