Doors popping open in flight

Having a door pop open should be a non-event. Air pressure will keep it from
opening more than an inch or two, the noise is distracting, papers fly
around the cockpit, and passengers freak out. IMHO it is a waste of time and
energy to attempt closure in flight...land and do it right.

There will be disturbed airflow over the horizontal stabilizer on the
open-door side, but nothing that the pilot cannot deal with.

Bob Gardner



"bob" wrote in message
. ..
How serious is it on small twin engines with only one door? Or with 2
doors, for that matter?

A friend of mine tells me that he once had a twin engine Piper crash to
investigate due to ditching. It was later learned upon the conclusion of
the investigation that a passenger in the back seat was trying to switch
places with someone in the front and the door inadvertently popped open.
At that point the investigator determined, from his own similar
experience, that the plane sunk like a rock due to critical disruption of
the airflow to that could not be corrected in flight.
--The door could not be closed again!---

As for my friend with his similar experience, his friend's hand was all
bloody from trying to hold it closed as much as he could. Fortunately,
they made a safe emergency landing at an island the just happened to be
nearby.

I've only flow small single engines and had NO IDEA how serious this
could be. They don't teach you that in flight school. Or is it because
single engines with only one door do not react the same as the twins.

Tell me the straight skinny so I know next time I go flying.

Thanks

Having a door pop open should be a non-event.

There was a Mooney crash a few years back caused by the baggage door
opening in flight. Apparently the airflow over the tail was disrupted
on final and caused the crash. If the baggage door opens in flight the
recommendation in the Mooney community now is to keep your speed up on
final (which in a Mooney means find a really long runway).

-Robert

The critical issue would be Vmca with a door open, it has
not been flight tested and how much Vmca will increase is
just a guess.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Bob Gardner" wrote in message
...
| Having a door pop open should be a non-event. Air pressure
will keep it from
| opening more than an inch or two, the noise is
distracting, papers fly
| around the cockpit, and passengers freak out. IMHO it is a
waste of time and
| energy to attempt closure in flight...land and do it
right.
|
| There will be disturbed airflow over the horizontal
stabilizer on the
| open-door side, but nothing that the pilot cannot deal
with.
|
| Bob Gardner
|
|
|
| "bob" wrote in message
| . ..
| How serious is it on small twin engines with only one
door? Or with 2
| doors, for that matter?
|
| A friend of mine tells me that he once had a twin engine
Piper crash to
| investigate due to ditching. It was later learned upon
the conclusion of
| the investigation that a passenger in the back seat was
trying to switch
| places with someone in the front and the door
inadvertently popped open.
| At that point the investigator determined, from his own
similar
| experience, that the plane sunk like a rock due to
critical disruption of
| the airflow to that could not be corrected in flight.
| --The door could not be closed again!---
|
| As for my friend with his similar experience, his
friend's hand was all
| bloody from trying to hold it closed as much as he
could. Fortunately,
| they made a safe emergency landing at an island the just
happened to be
| nearby.
|
| I've only flow small single engines and had NO IDEA how
serious this
| could be. They don't teach you that in flight school.
Or is it because
| single engines with only one door do not react the same
as the twins.
|
| Tell me the straight skinny so I know next time I go
flying.
|
| Thanks
|
|
|