Closing Door During Flight

[co2bruce]

Interesting experience yesterday. Last year in route from Asheville to South Florida my wife noticed her hair being sucked out of the top of the door (bottom latch secure, top latch not so much). I told her I would slip the plane, we would open and then relatch the door. She freaked out at this plan so we flew the rest of the trip with the door half latched. Yesterday after take off I noticed the top latch was not engaged once again. It was a little noisier but nothing to worry about. After 10 minutes I desided to crab the plane and latch it correctly ( like I planned the year before but this time I was alone ). One word...Don't......The plan doesn't work in my Long Body Eagle. I slowed, crabed, unlatched the door and I immediately had a very noisy windstorm inside the cockpit as the door was now ajar about 4". There was no way using normal strength to pull the door closed enough to relatch. It was like having your head out the window only inside. I landed at the closest field having to yell out my intentions on the radio with my head ducked into the corner of the cockpit to be understood. I'm so glad I didn't try that with my wife aboard ( that would have been her last flight). 

Besides that it was an very enjoyable, uneventful flight.

[Hank]

You just found out that the only way to close the door is on the ground. In some planes, a slip will work, but not in ours. This happened the first time I took my wife flying; Ms. Independent had to close the door herself, and it lasted just long enough for us to leave the pattern and set up flight following before it popped open. So we went back, landed, shut the door and took off again. She has closed it correctly every time since then.  

[CaptainAB]

Every aircraft is different always check your poh as this is a common mishap. I found the ovation's poh. Not sure if the eagle is the same. I have noticed that one thing planes have in common is you have to open the pilots window to do it in flight

 

[bonal]

Happened once when I was new to my Mooney with my wife plus her friend just after takeoff and there was no way it was closing in flight so just flew the pattern landed and closed it a non event. My wife now has the procedure for correct latching and I do a check every time as part of the pre flight by pushing on the top of the door. Quite the breeze and if an off field landing I know I don't have to worry about holding it open.

[Mooneymite]

Put me in the "live with it and land" category.  

The accident files are full of incidents and accidents where a completely flyable aircraft was destroyed due to over-reaction to an open door, or hatch.  I've never had an open cargo hatch in flight, but I've had the door pop open....except for the noise, it is a non-event.  One could fly for hours with the door "in trail".

A few years ago a friend flew his Stearman into trees while futzing with an open panel.  Happily only the aircraft was severely damaged, the pilot only embarrassed.

(It might be good practice for a CFI to let a pilot experience an open door during his Mooney transition, but I'll let the pro's deal with that question.)

Door pop open?  Leave it alone until you're on the ground.  

[steingar]

Happened when I did my transition training (CFI was the one who blew it).  Got really loud, but we were kinda able to hear each other a bit.  Landed nearest and shut it.  Didn't do the plane any harm, though it was less than easy on my eardrums.

[MB65E]

Two pilots in a Bravo. Top latch didn't latch. Both of us couldn't get it latched in flight. 

Just Take the "doors and window" seriously on the checklist. I check the top latch by pushing out every flight now.

cheers,

-Matt

[Shadrach]

4 hours ago, co2bruce said:

Interesting experience yesterday. Last year in route from Asheville to South Florida my wife noticed her hair being sucked out of the top of the door (bottom latch secure, top latch not so much). I told her I would slip the plane, we would open and then relatch the door. She freaked out at this plan so we flew the rest of the trip with the door half latched. Yesterday after take off I noticed the top latch was not engaged once again. It was a little noisier but nothing to worry about. After 10 minutes I desided to crab the plane and latch it correctly ( like I planned the year before but this time I was alone ). One word...Don't......The plan doesn't work in my Long Body Eagle. I slowed, crabed, unlatched the door and I immediately had a very noisy windstorm inside the cockpit as the door was now ajar about 4". There was no way using normal strength to pull the door closed enough to relatch. It was like having your head out the window only inside. I landed at the closest field having to yell out my intentions on the radio with my head ducked into the corner of the cockpit to be understood. I'm so glad I didn't try that with my wife aboard ( that would have been her last flight). 

Besides that it was an very enjoyable, uneventful flight.

You were likely going to fast.  It is doable, but not at cruise!

[jlunseth]

The latch needs to be adjusted or it will keep happening.  The latch does not "grab" the metal knob it latches onto hard enough.  The negative pressure from the slipstream causes the door to unlatch as soon as the aircraft is moving fast enough.  Usually happens on during takeoff.  I agree, don't bother trying to close it in the air.  You can land and relatch it, but if the latch is out of adjustment it will just unlatch again when you take off.

[carqwik]

The door can be fully closed in flight...BTDT.  The POH procedure does work and the door is surprisingly easy to close.  Key is to open the pilot storm window and press on the left rudder.  Door practically closes itself.  Just remember to unlatch the door fully first before trying to re-latch it.

[Hank]

Cool! Ya'll taught me something that's not in my Owners Manual. I'll remember this, even if the door hasn't popped open since Labor Day '07.

[co2bruce]

I did not have the pilot window open, that is the key to relieve the interior pressure. Thanks all. 

[Oscar Avalle]

Happened to me, reduced power to 95 kts, opened the storm window slipped the plane and closed the door. Luckily I was with somebody that closed the door for. Alone... I don't know would have been much harder to do.

[triple8s]

Seems like a door that isn't latched will never show itself until you rotate and/or committed to take off. Been there done that with baggage door, saw my extra Bose A20's floating in the little tornado that was spinning in the baggage area. Fly the plane!

[Steve Dietrich]

Couple of comments

third option solo - loop the seatbelt through the pull handle and use this as an assist

the specified airspeed could be reduced PROVIDED YOU MONITOR AIRSPEED WITH EXTREME CARE DUE TO SPIN RISK

 

The seatbelt through the pull handle can be used to simply hold the door a little more closed

 

The door popping open  or top latch coming free is common after doorseal replacement (review of all repairs should be part of the post maint preflight) 

[marks]

When I first bought my '89 J my son in the right seat remarked that he could see blue sky through a crack at the top of the door.  I thought that maybe the door was bent a bit and pointed it out to my mechanic.  The mechanic ordered a wonderful little gadget that forced a good solid close every time.  First he installed a metal plate a few inches long that was shaped in a small curve that followed the door frame but had a small oval hole in it.  The other piece was a pointed metal tube attached to the door that is about three inches long.  When you close the door, the tube is at an angle so that it enters the oval hole on the door frame and gets the door progressively tighter as the main latch is closed.  The result is a much tighter door that truly saves noise and drafts.  I haven't spent much time in other Mooneys to know that this little latch is common or not, but it sure did the trick.

[Shadrach]

I feel very fortunate that passenger and baggage doors on our old 67F are both air and water tight. Our cabin is not the most attractive, but it's a nice place to spend time. No drafts and it holds heat well even in sub-zero temps at altitude in the winter. I don't say this to gloat; I say it so that those of you suffering know that it is possible to rectify!