Mooney down

[Conrad]

How did it take them 15 minutes to get out without the door? I certainly don't dispute that opening the door is the primary means of making sure you don't get stuck inside, but my impression was that you could also kick out the side windows. Perhaps they were too badly hurt, but I'd have some serious adrenaline to work with if I thought the alternative might be going up in a fireball. Is it harder to do than I'd imagined?

Edited December 31, 2015 by Conrad

[mike_elliott]

21 minutes ago, Conrad said:

How did it take them 15 minutes to get out without the door? I certainly don't dispute that opening the door is the primary means of making sure you don't get stuck inside, but my impression was that you could also kick out the side windows. Perhaps they were too badly hurt, but I'd have some serious adrenaline to work with if I thought the alternative might be going up in a fireball. Is it harder to do than I'd imagined?

It took the first responders 15 minutes to get the door opened, not for the occupants to get out. More than likely, the occupants were unconscious and in serious condition, unable to help themselves,. Opening the door before impact points the way for a first responder to get to you. Otherwise, they have to waste time to figure it all out, time you might not have especially if a fire has started.

[JaredDavis]

Is opening the door enough or does it need to be wedged with something?  Anyone fly with a notched block of wood?

[Bob_Belville]

9 minutes ago, JaredDavis said:

Is opening the door enough or does it need to be wedged with something?  Anyone fly with a notched block of wood?

The door is unlikely to close/latch. It's tough to latch most Mooney doors on purpose. Maybe a headset hanging half in/half out to be extra cautious? 

[FloridaMan]

Killing the electricals and opening the door were the two items I did not do in my landing, though I don't think I had time myself going from 200ft and 120mph to stopped in < 4000ft I was a bit task saturated. 

[carusoam]

Hmmm....

Consider what would happen if you open the door, then re-close the latch while the door is open. Does something get in the way of the door closing? Is that a steel rod in the way?

Try this in the hangar.  You don't need to test the theory on final approach...

Best regards,

-a-

[Bob_Belville]

Guessing... with the door unlatched, in the event of an off the airport landing, I would think the exaggerated deceleration would fling the door forward which odds are would be a good thing.

[carl]

take off a shoe and wedge in the door opening . leave the other shoe on . 

if you get.out the ground is covered with burrs and stuff. 

take off both shoes if into the water .to swim better . 

 the wedge helps to prevent the door from jamming when the airframe is bent on impact. 

.but who can remember this if you are.crashing ? 

 

 

[aviatoreb]

17 minutes ago, carl said:

take off a shoe and wedge in the door opening . leave the other shoe on . 

if you get.out the ground is covered with burrs and stuff. 

take off both shoes if into the water .to swim better . 

 the wedge helps to prevent the door from jamming when the airframe is bent on impact. 

.but who can remember this if you are.crashing ? 

 

 

You might need your shoes.  What if you are uninjured and you need to hike a few miles to civilization?

[aaronk25]

That shoe or block of wood isn't going to just stay in place in a rapid deceleration. If the door is unlatched it shouldn't get jammed.

Not sure the same applies to legacy cessnas where the door in the nonlocked position still locks shut if slammed. Slam a mooney door all day and it's just going to bounce back open.

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[Jim F]

Once the door is unlatched in flight it should pop open a couple of inches.  I have personal experience in a Brron but never my Mooney and if anyone has personal experience please say so.  Now just latch the door closed while in trail. This will keep the door open during the event. My shoes are for egress or kicking out the windows. 

In my passenger briefing I state if we need to land off airport I will tell you to open the door just before landing and only do this when I say open the door. I also explain that because of the forward air speed the door will only open a inch or so and be very noisey but you can not fall out. For the first time flyers falling out or being sucked out is their first thought. Now I will add after it open relatch the door closed. Great conversation. 

[bonal]

Once early in my Mooney experience we took off and the door was not completely latched as soon as we rotated it popped open and could not be closed while in flight. Went around and landed to close door. I think as long as you release the latch there should be no possibility that it would jam closed in an off field landing.

[N601RX]

I've had the door pop open once also.  It opens about 2 inches and stays there.

[Cyril Gibb]

Had the door open in cruise due to an incorrectly adjusted latch when I picked up my plane initially.  VERY loud and stayed an inch or so open 'til we stopped for fuel.  No attempts including a side slip at stall speed could get it latched again.

FYI, if you're in instrument conditions at stall speed with crossed controls to slip and the copilot forces the door way open in order to slam it shut, the plane will drop a wing to vertical extremely quickly.  Not recommended.  Just sayin'