Faulty seal on door diverts flight to Pinellas airport

Passengers contradict the airline's explanation of the events on the Fort Myers-Chicago flight.

By Compiled from staff, wire reports

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 16, 2000

CLEARWATER -- The cabin door in the rear of an American Trans Air flight from Fort Myers to Chicago failed to close properly Sunday, prompting the crew to divert the flight and land at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport.

Some passengers described air blowing through a 3-inch gap at the bottom of the door, but ATA spokeswoman Mary Moses Cochran said she doubted that.

"The door didn't seal properly. That doesn't mean the door wasn't closed," Cochran said. "The door fits into a channel and the bottom guides didn't match up exactly. This isn't something that happens every day, but it isn't uncommon."

One man aboard American Trans Air's Flight 534 said the wind made his hair stand on end. It made another shout for the pilot. Meantime, napkins were blowing about the cabin.

"It was like in an Airplane movie," said passenger Bruce Waters, 43.

The Boeing 727 landed safely.

Ground crews at St. Petersburg-Clearwater cleaned the door channel then sealed, inspected and tested the door. It closed properly and has had no problems since, Cochran said. After a delay of about two hours, the flight continued to Chicago.

ATA is the Pinellas airport's largest carrier, accounting for about half of the 1-million passengers who use the airport annually.

Asked if the cockpit crew saw or heard any sort of warning about the door, Cochran said, "Apparently not, because technically, the door was closed. Apparently there was no warning light."

The problem did not become apparent until the jet was airborne, she said.

"There definitely was some noise, and I imagine napkins were flying about the cabin because there was air movement," Cochran said. "A flight attendant looked at the door then notified the cockpit. The flight engineer came back and inspected the door, and that was when the decision was made to divert."

The passengers had a different version of events.

Waters and his wife, Judith, said they mentioned a 3-inch gap at the bottom of the door to a flight attendant who said the door would close when they got up in the air. The Waterses said it didn't.

They said attendants stuffed wet napkins in the crevice and said they would freeze and hold the door shut.

About 20 minutes into the flight, with the plane at about 10,000 feet, a flight attendant said the aircraft would be landing at the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport because of problems with the door.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

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