Baggage door open plane still flys!

[markazzarito]

Im not proud of this story but decided to share just encase anyone else finds themselves in flight with an open baggage door. Im based at john wayne airport in orange county ca. Last weekend i flew out to chino for fuel. fuel prices are usually about half of John wayne fuel prices.

Its only about a 15 min flight. The flight there was uneventful. Weather was forcast overcast at 3900 but it was actually overcast at 3,000. I flew out at 2500 feet. Chino is 650 ft elevation John Wayne is 56ft. After landing i taxied to fuel right away worried that the ceiling might drop stranding me in Chino. Im not IFR rated.

I waited while two other planes fueled than filled up hit the bathroom and started my taxi back to the runway looking at the sky worried that the ceiling looked darker and lower than it had on the flight over. Ceiling was still reported at 3900 feet. Ground handed me off to the tower and after a runup the tower cleared me for takeoff. I taxied by at least four other planes on the ground including two in the run up area. I started my takeoff roll and the noise in the cockpit sounded louder than normal.

I have a very efficient bose noise canceling headset so i just assumed the batterys were running low. At about 200 ft AGL a pilot on the ground came over the tower frequency anouncing that the mooney taking off had an open baggage door!

i looked over my right-shoulder and saw the wide open baggage door! My heart skipped a beat. I immediately requested to return to the airport as i thought about the POH and its warning that if the baggage door was to come open in flight the airplane would not be flight worthy. I wasnt sure what to expect would the baggage compartment act like a kite and cause the plane to yaw hard to the right? Would the engine be powerful enough to overcome the drag? 

I left the power setting full and followed the towers instruction to make a right crosswind. Another pilot came over frequency and reminded me to keep my speed up for stall protection. I turned downwind at pattern altitude reduced power and kept the speed 10 mph higher than usual. To my surprise the airplane was handling fine. I turned base then final and made an uneventful landing to a few cheers over the radio.

After securing the baggage door i did a full preflight taxied back for takeoff the flight back went fine and the ceiling wasn't a problem. Im not sure if i simply didnt latch the door properly the first time around or somehow left it locked wide open in my hurry to leave i hadn't done a proper preflight. I learned four important lessons. 

1) the plane will fly with an open baggage door

2) always do a full preflight even if it is just a quick pit stop. 

3) if something dosent sound right during the takeoff role abort.

4) dont fixate! I was fixating on the weather and neglected my pre flight. 

 

 

 

[Tony Armour]

Thanks for sharing. Did you open/unlock at the fuel stop or it just stayed closed on the flight over ? I check for a locked baggage door about as  religiously as I do gear down. Knock on wood !

[Hector]

Good Job. You flew the airplane which is what you needed to do. I guess there was no damage to the door. After reading several episodes of this in Mooneyspace I now make it a point to check the baggage door as the last thing I do before I climb on the wing to get inside the Mooney.

[carusoam]

Your not the first, nor will you be the last...

There is guidance written around here somewhere that indicates that the plane will continue to fly. But, if you keep it at pattern speeds, it won't get ripped off...

If somebody would be so kind as to point out where that is written.  POH is a good place to start.  MAPA is another.

Have no fear, doors open and don't cause crashes.  The windstorm can get wild and anything paper will be seen rushing towards a door...

You handled it well.  I like the conversation you had during the brief flight.

now, update your checklist to include that on the pre-flight.  There is a couple of threads here that cover similar issues on various checklists.  Better to read about them first.  There are a lot of experiments that may not work out so nicely...

you will find that many PICs are the last to touch the door handles on both doors.

best regards,

-a-

[markazzarito]

12 minutes ago, Tony Armour said:

Thanks for sharing. Did you open/unlock at the fuel stop or it just stayed closed on the flight over ? I check for a locked baggage door about as  religiously as I do gear down. Knock on wood !

I opened the baggage door to grab a screwdriver while fueling. Im not sure if i simply didnt latch it  or if i left it locked open. I think its unlikely it was left wide open. I would have had to pass it on my way into the plane.

[1524J]

1 minute ago, markazzarito said:

I opened the baggage door to grab a screwdriver while fueling. Im not sure if i simply didnt latch it  or if i left it locked open. I think its unlikely it was left wide open. I would have had to pass it on my way into the plane.

It's hard for us to admit that we might overlook something in preflight. I appreciate your candor! It'll help remind me to double check the baggage door before stepping up on the wing. 

[carusoam]

Many people close the door with intention of coming back to put something away.  (Fuel cup) Next thing happens, they are putting the thing on the floor getting ready to depart.  Not recognizing that they didn't put it back or close the door...

many of those same people recognize the distraction and now don't close the door until it is time to close and lock it.

know what you have for a door lock on the baggage door.  Most can be opened from the inside even when locked. Some may need to be modified to make that happen. Parts are available if you don't have them.

my family has been trained to close the door properly.  Unfortunately, I'm the guy with the fuel cup.  Now we just leave the door open until it's time.  

Best regards,

-a-

[Jim Peace]

2 hours ago, markazzarito said:

Im not proud of this story

The best kind...

 

thank you for sharing........

Edited March 21, 2016 by Jim Peace

[N601RX]

I made 2 rules for myself several years ago.  The towbar is never left hanging on the front wheel for any reason, its either in my hand being used or its put away and the baggage door is either fully open or shut and locked.

[Bob_Belville]

I very intentionally latch the baggage door whenever it is closed. And that certainly includes the few minutes between getting the fuel sampler off the hat rack shelf and returning it there. The same process applies to the oil access door. A disruption in our pre-flight routine can very easily result in the OPs event or a gear up landing or taking off with the pitot cover on or... 

As I drive to the airport I go into "go slow" mode. Especially if I'm running late!

[MyNameIsNobody]

Way to fly the airplane and not let something minor turn into something major.  You got in a rush...We have ALL down things like this.  I am sure you didn't read about the baggage door being open causing the plane to be "not flight worthy?" Or act as a kite here on Mooneyspace.  Head shaking a little on that....anyway...My similar goofiness was-After having a nice lunch with a couple of fellow Mooneyspacers we were heading out and I got in a "hurry" and forgot to remove my cowl closure pads.  I wrap them around the prop so they were immediately "flung" where I definitely COULD see them within the first few blades....What a dumb-ass...I thought to self of self.

My mental take-away-DON'T GET IN A HURRY AND TAKE SHORT CUTS WHEN IT COMES TO FLYING AND AIRPLANES.

Fly safe everybody.

[RLCarter]

Everyone has done something in Aviation that they look back on as a learning experiences, I was a safety pilot in a "C" during some approaches, shot one from the right seat and decided to go back to our home base and take out the 172 and stretch its wings as well. After jockeying around 3 different aircraft we were back in the air, an ILS, DME Arc and VOR approach it was time to land at home base, 10:00 or so in the evening, and the saftey pilot could see the shadow of the tow bar still attached after over an hour and half of flying. Not my finest hour but it was my best landing ever, tow bar has been added several more times to the checklist, I got lucky once and didn't damage anything but the ego.

[kevinw]

I've come close to doing this myself. I closed the baggage door without closing the latch to keep the heat in. Almost walked past it. Now my rule is it's either all the way open or completely closed and latched. On another note, I wonder if this will happen more often in the future in the new two door Ultra models. With one door on the right side you at least have to walk past the baggage door to enter the airplane. When entering on the left I think the baggage door is more likely to be overlooked. Time will tell.

[pinerunner]

I had a baggage door open too. The little pin in the latch was broken so it may not have been my fault. I heard the roaring, looked back, and saw open sky. I was well on my way to an airport an hour away. I slowed down to pattern speed (about 90 mph) to minimize stress on it and stopped at an airport about 15 minutes down the pike. Since I had been up to about 145 mph and it hadn't torn off I didn't get too excited about it once I had slowed down. It basically flew up and held against the flimsy little brace that we have on those old doors. That held so the baggage door hinge must be well oriented relative to the slip-stream.   After landing I discovered the little axle in the latch had broken, but I could work the latching pin into its slot to hold it closed so I continued on another half hour to the destination where I was getting radio work done and the A and P there rigged me up a replacement pin for the latch. It didn't open again so all's well that end's well.

This set's me up for a discussion of get-there-itis. I've kind of wondered how much it would take to get me to break off a flight where I really wanted to get through. Get-there-itis is a real phenomenon. Maybe I need a good spanking; but if so I should get to pick who administers it. 

[orionflt]

When I first got my plane I was flying some kids for young eagles, somewhere along the way I got distracted and did not latch my baggage door, just after lift off the door popped open. a little extra noise and wind but nothing scary, I brought it around and landed. not more then a few weeks later I was flying with a friend in his mooney, (he was an experienced Mooney pilot) we were climbing out and just turning crosswind when his baggage door pooped sucking the charts we had open in the cockpit out of the airplane. the charts flying around the cockpit and out of the plane was more distracting then the door popping open. now not only do I check my door before flight, I check them even as a passenger. BTW, I was told the door popped open looked like a shark fin!

 

Brian

[flyboy0681]

You didn't mention whether the hinge was bent. A couple of years ago my partner didn't latch it and it flew open on takeoff. The net result was a new hinge and it had to be re-skinned due to it bending out of shape.

[Jim Peace]

11 hours ago, Tony Armour said:

I check for a locked baggage door about as  religiously as I do gear down. Knock on wood !

YES.....most people I have flown with in all GA planes only close the baggage door.....It should be LOCKED as well........

[Loogie]

22 minutes ago, pinerunner said:

I had a baggage door open too. The little pin in the latch was broken so it may not have been my fault. I heard the roaring, looked back, and saw open sky. I was well on my way to an airport an hour away. I slowed down to pattern speed (about 90 mph) to minimize stress on it and stopped at an airport about 15 minutes down the pike. Since I had been up to about 145 mph and it hadn't torn off I didn't get too excited about it once I had slowed down. It basically flew up and held against the flimsy little brace that we have on those old doors. That held so the baggage door hinge must be well oriented relative to the slip-stream.   After landing I discovered the little axle in the latch had broken, but I could work the latching pin into its slot to hold it closed so I continued on another half hour to the destination where I was getting radio work done and the A and P there rigged me up a replacement pin for the latch. It didn't open again so all's well that end's well.

This set's me up for a discussion of get-there-itis. I've kind of wondered how much it would take to get me to break off a flight where I really wanted to get through. Get-there-itis is a real phenomenon. Maybe I need a good spanking; but if so I should get to pick who administers it. 

You should always have a small roll of duct tape, once locked if you need to fly I would add some tape to seal the door until it can be repaired at your destination. Makes amess but good insurance and easy to clean the tape residue once removed.  Good tape is always useful for small repairs etc, broken latches etc.

 

[1964-M20E]

I did this as well but the tower called me and asked about the open door.  It was summer and I was too slow should have told him it was  my new AC system.

 

 

[Seth]

Thanks for sharing.

Distraction is the enemy here.  I made as similar mistake in my old F model when flying with a cousin who is an instructor.  I missed locking or latching my door on the pre-flight as I was trying to be get ready to go with him standing there.  On the takeoff roll down the runway, the baggage door popped open.  I aborted the takeoff and on the taxi way at my home non towered field, I shut down, we both got out, and quickly I looked over, latched and locked the door in place, ensured it was actually locked in place, got back in, started again, and taxied back for takeoff.  I felt like an idiot.

The baggage door, same as noted above, has two positions: open or locked closed.

 

-Seth

[DAVIDWH]

As we speak, there is an Ovation at local drome having new door cargo installed. Old one too smashed and distorted to even think about repair.

Unfortunately it can be quite a bug tussel , even if no damage done to fuselage. A&P is presently16 hours labor and counting to trim, fit, prime and paint. Total cost estimated to be between 5 and 6K.

Upon having the good fortune to be able to obtain one from Mooney (About $3000), it is not a slip and slide, or one size fits all. The door is about .5 inch oversize for the opening and must be carefully cut, trimmed, ground and sanded to fit, rounded corners and all. Sort of a Van Gough with a paintbrush situation.

That being said, better an open door than a gear up.

[flyboy0681]

Just now, DAVIDWH said:

Unfortunately it can be quite a bug tussel , even if no damage done to fuselage. A&P is presently16 hours labor and counting to trim, fit, prime and paint. Total cost estimated to be between 5 and 6K.

 

Our A&P charged $700 and the end result looks just as good as the original. Either our A&P undersold himself or the Ovation owner is getting reamed.

 

[pinerunner]

2 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

You didn't mention whether the hinge was bent. A couple of years ago my partner didn't latch it and it flew open on takeoff. The net result was a new hinge and it had to be re-skinned due to it bending out of shape.

In my case there was a very slight distortion in the very front-most loop of the long piano hinge style door hinge and I haven't had it replaced. It wouldn't need skins replaced on the door if it were to be replaced. I got off easy. I am having an A and P look over the latch. The interior over the door was mangled. I plan on getting Spacial Interior in the next year anyway. 

[Yetti]

It will fly just fine with the door open.  Kept the gear down to keep the speed low.   I was lucky it was dark with a deserted airport so pride remained intact

[Hank]

Happened to me once during Instrument training, the typical interrupted preparation after pulling out if the hangar and putting the tow bar away. Took off, climbed out, started first approach leg almost over the airport at 90 knots. Heard funny noise, looked back at sky behind me . , , finished the approach, landed 12nm away, shut down, closed and latched door, cranked up and finished the flight.

I was embarrassed; CFII was embarrassed. No damage to the hinge, but the door skin has a slight dent. The inside is undamaged, and none of my papers were sucked out.

The plane flew just fine. I was using my el cheapo student FlightComm headset, nothing fancy, and the noise wasn't loud.

I've never seen anything in my Owners Manual (all 94 pages of it including both covers and all Performance Tabkes) that even mentions the baggage door after Preflight Inspection, much less any reference about the baggage door and airworthiness. I'd be interested in seeing the citation, a photo will be great for my own reference.

In the meantime, she flies in with about a 4" long dent at the top rear of the door. It stays open about 2" unless I push down to latch it, a reminder of a past omission and one more thing to check before boarding. I also no longer leave the towbar attached outside of the hangar, and I don't set it down if I get interrupted putting it away, I'll just carry it around.