Date:	Thursday 1 June 2017
Time:	20:15
Type:	Reims Cessna F406 Caravan II
Owner/operator:	RVL Aviation Ltd
Registration:	G-RVLX
MSN:	F406-0054
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	North Sea, en-route from East Midlands Airport to Kristiansund, Norway -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	East Midlands Airport (EMA/EGNX)
Destination airport:	Kristiansund-Kvernberget Airport (KSU/ENKB)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Reims Cessna F406 Caravan II, G-RVLX: Pilot’s emergency exit door opened in flight, En route from East Midlands Airport to Kristiansund, Norway, 1 June 2017. Although the exact location of the incident is not stated, the fact that the aircraft made an urgent landing at Newcastle Airport (NCL/EGNT) would imply that the incident occurred over the North Sea, off the coast of Northumberland. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is an excerpt from the AAIB Report:

"Whilst cruising at FL100 a door warning light illuminated. The pilot noticed the P1 emergency exit main handle was slightly away from its locked position and instinctively went to pull the door inwards and the emergency exit handle towards its closed position. Within 1 to 2 seconds the door “popped out with an extremely large amount of force”. It remained attached to the aircraft. The pilot declared a MAYDAY and returned to Newcastle without further incident.

=Investigation by the operator=
The operator conducted an investigation in conjunction with the aircraft manufacturer. This concluded that, whilst checking or operating a portable oxygen bottle, the pilot may have inadvertently disturbed the emergency exit main handle and then, when it was almost over centre, vibration and the action of a spring in the mechanism caused the handle to move to the fully open position, illuminating the door warning light. A secondary latch initially held the door closed, but due to low friction in its mechanism and lost motion due to a migrated roll pin in its operating lever, it did not secure the door closed and the door opened into the slipstream.

=Safety actions=
The operator is taking the following safety actions:
● An email was sent to all crew to notify them of the event and to highlight correct door operation and security
● A fleet check of aircraft fitted with a similar door was carried out to ensure that both primary and secondary locks operated correctly.
● Placarding of the secondary handle will be improved to clearly identify when it is the locked position.
● A strap will be fitted to the emergency exit main handle to minimise the likelihood of it being inadvertently disturbed

=Damage Sustained to airframe=
Per the above AAIB report "Damage to emergency exit door, frame and surrounding structure". The aircraft was repaired and returned to service

1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/59c3903fe5274a49c353421a/Reims_Cessna_F406_Caravan_II_G-RVLX_10-17.pdf
2. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-RVLX/
3. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-RVLX.html
4. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N6591R.html
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristiansund_Airport,_Kvernberget

This Reims Cessna F406 Caravan II was built in 1991, and previously registered in the United States as N6591R from 30 January 1991. The US registration was cancelled on 13 July 2016, and the aircraft re-registered in the UK on 14 July 2016 (next day) as G-RVLK to RVL Aviation Ltd of East Midlands Airport, the one and only owner to date. As at 17 October 2023, G-RVLK has accumulated a total of 20,280 flying hours on the airframe

G-RVLX: Reims-Cessna F.406 of RVL Aviation Ltd at Birmingham Airport (BHX/EGBB) 19 February 2017.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Jun-2024 17:11	Dr. John Smith	Added
02-Jun-2024 17:12	ASN	Updated [Accident report, ]