Baggage Door Opened in Flight

[lfgbrd]

I was teaching my partner about emergencies in our 1-month-brand-new-to-us J today. I secretly pulled the gear actuator breaker after takeoff to simulate a failure. It took him a while to notice but he did well: Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. After leveling off and reaching about 130kts, we hear a POP and some rushing wind. I looked back and said something along the lines of "The baggage door just came open!" except slightly more vulgar. I told him to slow down and checked to see that he was before looking back again. I saw the door pop off of the little arm that holds it up, heard some banging, then I saw debris falling to Earth behind us. "And it's gone..." I said. I tasked him with flying the plane while I handled everything else. I called tower in the most annoyed tone because I was the last one who had opened the baggage compartment and this was probably my fault.

 

We kept our speed down around 90 the whole way back and we did well at keeping calm, talking through what might be different with the door open, and just flying the plane. As we touched down a Bonanza holding short said "Tower, the Mooney might like to know that their baggage door is open..." Tower replied "He said it's completely gone." "It looks like it's still attached, though." What? When we slowed to a taxiing pace I opened the door and leaned out. Sure enough, the door was still attached. Hooray! Maybe it's salvageable.

 

After further inspection, I'm not sure what its condition is. The door cannot be closed. Someone decided to put a GPS antenna right above the hinge, so when the door broke free of the arm, it bent the metal over the antenna. I feel like if that hadn't been there, the metal might not have bent so much if at all. There doesn't appear to be any airframe or even skin damage, the hinge doesn't look bent, and the arm sheared its bolt off at the door, so it is still firmly attached to the frame as well. The debris I saw was the interior paneling and maybe some insulation.

 

The latch is strange. It was in the locked position when we got out of the plane. It seems to lock, but it will not open/unlatch correctly. Something is definitely not right internally but we'll probably never know if that happened before or after the incident. I always latch that door by pressing it with my left hand and closing the latch with my right. I typically use the handle to help myself up onto the wing as well, so I would imagine if I hadn't shut it properly I would have pulled it open. There was no abnormal noise or airflow during the runup, takeoff, or the climb.

 

You usually read of these incidents happening during or right after takeoff, never 10 minutes into the flight after various bits of maneuvering. That leads me to think that something broke. But I've always been a forgetful person despite my best efforts so I'll probably never shake the feeling that I was at fault.

 

Anyone know what a new or salvage door costs?

[MB65E]

Wow! Well the factory is making them again. Some one here said they talked to a worker and he said it takes 30 man hours to make. Hopefully, some one here has a spare.

Please list the year of door your after. Also

, if you have the internal unlock function.

At least you didn't gear up the thing!!! Pulling that beaker is fun until it's not. I quit playing with landing gear functions in the air. The best place to practice gear items is in the hangar on jacks.

Good luck getting it back together!

-Matt

[lfgbrd]

It's a 1990 J MSE. I'm calling the big shops to see if I can find a used one before I try to go to the factory. Maybe if my mechanic confirms that the hinge and frame are alright it won't be too difficult to swap them out.

[shorrick mk2]

The previous owner of my Ovation had to fix the door after having it open on a ramp and being treated with KingAir prop wash. Getting one that fits properly was more of a problem than the actual swap.

[rgpilot]

I had a similiar event years ago. I thought it could be fixed but we bought a salvage one and had it painted. Cost was $500 from salvage yard plus painting and labor.

[yvesg]

Would insurance cover this?

Yves

[bonal]

ouch!  

[piperpainter]

I've done that. However I wasn't flying fast...it has opened right as I rotate. I'll admit I had it happen a couple times..... But thankfully I was able to reject. The one time it opened in flight I slowed to about 70kts and just took it easy! Didn't do damage though.

[jezzie]

The Mooney instructor I hired for my insurance check ride says he always locks the baggage door before flight. This is part of my pre flight and prior to boarding I habitually lock the baggage door.

[kevinw]

Don't beat yourself up too much for this. The fact that this happened 10 minutes after takeoff leads me to believe it wasn't your fault; something failed. I would try to find a used door as someone in an earlier post suggested. Have it painted and put on. If it's somewhat reasonable (less than $1,500) I wouldn't file a insurance claim. I suspect it won't be easy finding a used door but I don't even want to know what a new one would cost. I'm sure any of us that hears of one available will let you know right away. Good luck; it'll all work out.

[Danb]

Insurance should cover it, yrs. ago like mk2 on my J I also had a rude King Air do some kind of run up or test on the ramp and it ripped the hinge on my main door, My insurance broker took care of the details and a MSC did the repair..

Good luck..was the door locked prior to flight?

[kerry]

My baggage door popped open as I took off.  It was my fault and luckily I was able to abort my take off.  No damage but my door interior came off and was sitting in the middle of the runway.  I had to wait for 3 planes to land before I was able to run out to the runway and grab my doors interior.

[kmyfm20s]

would an E/F door be compatible? Here one for sale.

http://mooneyspace.com/topic/4131-multiple-mooney-parts-for-sale/

[mpg]

Well,,,

 

One way or another,,,  you are gonna have to un rivit and remove Your door...

 

Give it to an artful sheet metal mechanic,,,   

A Really good guy could hammer out the bends and dents,,,    good as new.

Paint and re rivet it back in place.

 

Seriously, it is not to bad to restore.

[flyboy0681]

We had the same thing happen too last year. The frame was fixed and re-skinned. Total cost was $700.

[fantom]

A good sheet metal guy will fix that door to like new condition. I suggest this is your best option.

 

After all is said and done, remember that these planes are hand fitted, and finding a used door or even a new factory door that fits as well as the one one your plane will be a real challenge.

 

Good luck.

[flyboy0681]

After all is said and done, remember that these planes are hand fitted, and finding a used door or even a new factory door that fits as well as the one one your plane will be a real challenge.

 

 

 

 

True that.

[lfgbrd]

Update:

 

A factory new, complete door is $2400, or the un-trimmed skin is $112. Neither are kept in stock so they have to manufacture them, 3-4 weeks. I think we'd rather go with the full door and be done with it, but that's plan B for now. I'm going to my mechanic to see what his thoughts are, maybe he can bend it back. I told him last week I was bringing it in for an oil change, he's going to be surprised...

 

Maybe I can just put a garbage bag and some speed tape over the hole and pretend it's fixed?

[Andy95W]

would an E/F door be compatible? Here one for sale.

http://mooneyspace.com/topic/4131-multiple-mooney-parts-for-sale/

The C,E, and F door is identical to the J baggage door up through 24-0377. Unfortunately, I don't think it'll work for a 1990 M20J.

[jetdriven]

I know it fits because I put the later door on an earlier J. The latch is different in design but same in function. You could also swap the entire latch mechanism but in my case the door swap was easier

[lfgbrd]

up through 24-0377.

 

Yeah, that's a few (thousand) numbers off from mine.

[201er]

Heard enough about these that I made a practice to always lock it. But here's my question, has anyone had the baggage door open when it was certainly closed and locked?

[TTaylor]

Off topic slightly but worth the debate.  To lock or not to lock, (the baggage door) that is the question.

 

Lock.  You are sure that it is closed and good check list item.  Closed and locked, check.

 

Unlock.  Allows an additional access point for emergency help.  If it is locked help can't open it.   If the main door is jammed this may be the best way into the plane.

 

 

I actually quit locking mine after reading about a pilot that was saved through the baggage door and we upgraded the side windows to 0.25 thickness which is much harder to break.

[jetdriven]

Later versions have the exit release from the inside. Put the placard on there right side up and upside down too. I'm in the lock the door camp too. It's either open fully, or closed and locked nothing in between.

[triple8s]

I don't see how locking could make any difference unless vibration is causing the rods to work out of the holes. All the lock does is keep the lever down and mine is very hard to open. There was a defective nut behind the yoke that caused the baggage door to come open on an Ovation I know of. I follow a friends advice now, if it isn't latched it is wide open, either latched or full open. If they pop open when latched wouldn't it mean that the rods are out of adjustment?