Emergency Landing | Baggage Door Blow Off Mid Flight | Model K

[Trenta]

wow so glad everyone is safe!

I have a B Model without the interior egress latch. It popped open in my first 7 hours on the plane at Bakersfield Muni. The baggage door was shut however the latch wasn’t secured. I heard a little buffeting in roll out after full power input. I thought that it was the main door then once I ruled that out figured it was the crosswind coming through the pilot window hatch. I however didn’t abort take off (because I didn’t voice my pre take-off abort protocols). Upon rotation the hatch popped open and the interior piece ripped off and luckily cleared the tail and landed gently on the end of the runway. I flew the plane, did a normal pattern, and landed to find no damage to the door and the interior piece clipped back in like new. I felt very fortunate and now will emphasize bag door check on my preflight.   
 

I'm glad everything ended up not catastrophic for you. Will make for an incredible hangar flying tale. 

[gsxrpilot]

Similar situation, and a good video.

 

[steingar]

3 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

Similar situation, and a good video.

 

I've seen a couple of this guy's videos.  He works in the movie industry and it shows.  

[Andy95W]

2 hours ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

  He should give lessons to other YouTubers on video production.   
 

 

The biggest lesson I took from his video is:  "Don't post videos on the internet that show you forgetting to latch the baggage door during your preflight inspection".

No, I don't buy his excuse that it must've come unlatched by itself.

[steingar]

4 minutes ago, Andy95W said:

The biggest lesson I took from his video is:  "Don't post videos on the internet that show you forgetting to latch the baggage door during your preflight inspection".

No, I don't buy his excuse that it must've come unlatched by itself.

Showing your mistakes isn't a bad thing.  Showing why they happen and how to deal with them can help other pilots.  What other Youtubers need to learn is editing and how to make content smooth.  Most Youtube videos are too long by far, and get quite boring.  He makes his interesting and entertaining.  In the end run that's what's really important.  Folks are more likely to watch entertaining things than long boring ones.

[tmo]

11 minutes ago, Andy95W said:

The biggest lesson I took from his video is:  "Don't post videos on the internet that show you forgetting to latch the baggage door during your preflight inspection".

No, I don't buy his excuse that it must've come unlatched by itself.

He did say he filed a NASA report, so I doubt the video will work against him in any way. He ain't no Jerry.

I'm with Mr. Steingar on this one, I try to learn from others' mistakes if I can force myself to. I did start locking the baggage door after RedSky's adventure. Of course, to each one's own.

[EricJ]

15 minutes ago, Andy95W said:

The biggest lesson I took from his video is:  "Don't post videos on the internet that show you forgetting to latch the baggage door during your preflight inspection".

No, I don't buy his excuse that it must've come unlatched by itself.

I give the guy credit for posting the details.   He showed it was unlatched before he took off but he just missed it.   He clearly didn't have to do that, so kudos to him for helping reinforce checking those kinds of details.  

 

[flyboy0681]

12 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Hi, Andy.  Agreed.  I thought he owned it, though?   But I was really talking about his production quality.

I wonder why Mooney never had a space reserved on the annunciator panel for a flashing "LUG DOOR". All it would have required was a microswitch on the latch.

[carusoam]

2 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

I wonder why Mooney never had a space reserved on the annunciator panel for a flashing "LUG DOOR". All it would have required was a microswitch on the latch.

briefly, for a few years there was a switch for the main door... it too activated a light... (like a car door)

-a-

[PT20J]

I think there has to be more to the story. According to Bob Kromer, he did a flight test with a control rigged to pop the door open in flight and found no controllability problems and the door didn’t detach. So, something must have been defective — beyond whatever caused the door to open — to caused the door to detach. 

Skip

[steingar]

One of my CFIs had the door open in flight in his Ovation.  it departed the airframe, but didn't hang up in anything.  Spendy to replace though.

[tmo]

Well, the (impact) force on the door / hinge will be greater when the door is torn open by the moving air as opposed to one statically propped open, right? If so, it could be the "tipping point".

[ArtVandelay]

I think there has to be more to the story. According to Bob Kromer, he did a flight test with a control rigged to pop the door open in flight and found no controllability problems and the door didn’t detach.

But which model and at what speed did they perform the test?
The devil is in the details.

[Hank]

1 hour ago, ArtVandelay said:

But which model and at what speed did they perform the test?
The devil is in the details.

I think Bob K. was the chief test pilot fir certification of the J & K models, and did some development work on the long bodies. 

Edited October 20, 2020 by Hank

[PT20J]

5 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

But which model and at what speed did they perform the test?
The devil is in the details.

Bob said he did the test on a M20K. He was mostly investigating what happens if you close but forget to latch the door. The results showed that it usually opened during rotation if unlatched. He said he unlatched it in flight during takeoff, climb and cruise all with no damage or handling issues. He did not try a high speed descent and he said he is aware of one case of a baggage door opening on a K during a high speed descent and departing the aircraft and striking the vertical stabilizer. 

Skip

[carusoam]

So.... we learn two things...

1) typical human error of forgetfulness is covered... the hinge is strong enough to keep the baggage door with the plane at traffic pattern speeds...

2) When left unlatched, the door usually pops open as the attitude changes on rotation... the windstorm and finger pointing start at the same time...  (it’s not my fault because... )

3) If something causes the latch to come undone at cruise speeds, expect the door to get mangled... if not ripped off completely...

4) Three options...

• Door is still connected...
• Door has departed the scene...
• Door is mangled and attached to your flight control surface...

5) Keep flying the plane.... to the nearest airport with a suitable runway... and services...

PP thoughts only, not a CFI...

Best regards,

-a-

[EricJ]

Today after a distraction during my final pre-start walkaround, I had closed but did not latch my baggage door.    The very first item on my pre-start checklist is to verify that the door is latched, and mine usually (but not today) sticks open a little if it is not latched, so I just look back to make sure it's closed, which it was.

During takeoff roll just a second or two after getting to full throttle it opened with a bang and blew the foil-foam window covers I keep on the hat shelf up into the baggage area.   The noise was a pretty big clue something wasn't normal and it just took a second to glance back and verify what happened, then cut power and abort the takeoff.   The hatch stayed open, flopped over the top of the airplane, all the way back to my hangar.   After a close inspection it appeared the only damage was whatever washer and safety that had been holding the rod in place had yielded, which prevented any damage to that.   The hinge and door looked fine and still opened and closed normally.

I was surprised that it blew open so hard and so easily, basically just on application of full throttle.   I don't think I made it much past about 40 mph or so on the takeoff roll before I was already aborting.

This seems to be the entirety of the damage.   It was a pretty easy fix. 

 

 

[HRM]

1 hour ago, EricJ said:

This seems to be the entirety of the damage.   It was a pretty easy fix.

Very, very lucky...you probably used what was left in the bucket. That door could have taken a piece of the empennage off, but you know that.

[carusoam]

Oddly, we usually get all the way to rotation, until the door lets us know what’s on its mind...
 

At 65ias... there is usually a full maelstrom of Old paperwork circling around the back...
 

Any faster, the door holder arm device has good chance of breaking.  After that the, the door swings open around the hinge and bends to match the cabin curve...

Old M20C memories... Anyone was allowed to close the baggage door...

Ovation memories... the baggage door is either open, or closed and latched.  Only PIC closes the baggage door...

The baggage door is often an excellent example of how distractions work... 
 

PP thoughts only,

-a-

[MikeOH]

Like gear ups, having the baggage door not properly shut/latched, is something I've not done...and really want to keep it that way!

I'm not saying my method is foolproof, but doesn't rely on a checklist:

I keep my fuel stick and sample jar on the hat shelf.

I open the baggage door and leave the key in the lock while I preflight.

I pull the plane out of the hangar with the baggage door still open/with key.

When I put the tow bar in the baggage area I then close, latch, lock, and remove the key.

[Yooper Rocketman]

On 10/19/2020 at 1:58 PM, flyboy0681 said:

I wonder why Mooney never had a space reserved on the annunciator panel for a flashing "LUG DOOR". All it would have required was a microswitch on the latch.

I built one in on my Lancair.  It has an annunciator that gets checked during my preflight upon power up.  I also installed one for my tow bar where it stores in a holder on the fuselage baggage area ceiling.  The beauty of experimental.

Tom

[PT20J]

23 hours ago, EricJ said:

oday after a distraction during my final pre-start walkaround, I had closed but did not latch my baggage door.    The very first item on my pre-start checklist is to verify that the door is latched, and mine usually (but not today) sticks open a little if it is not latched, so I just look back to make sure it's closed, which it was.

During takeoff roll just a second or two after getting to full throttle it opened with a bang and blew the foil-foam window covers I keep on the hat shelf up into the baggage area.   The noise was a pretty big clue something wasn't normal and it just took a second to glance back and verify what happened, then cut power and abort the takeoff.   The hatch stayed open, flopped over the top of the airplane, all the way back to my hangar.   After a close inspection it appeared the only damage was whatever washer and safety that had been holding the rod in place had yielded, which prevented any damage to that.   The hinge and door looked fine and still opened and closed normally.

I was surprised that it blew open so hard and so easily, basically just on application of full throttle.   I don't think I made it much past about 40 mph or so on the takeoff roll before I was already aborting.

This seems to be the entirety of the damage.   It was a pretty easy fix. 

Well, it's good to know that Bob was right, but you really didn't need to go so far as to retest it 

Glad it all worked out OK.

Skip

[Mooney in Oz]

On 10/21/2020 at 6:45 AM, carusoam said:

1) typical human error of forgetfulness is covered...

No matter how diligent we are, things can happen.

The 3rd flight as a proud new owner of my J, 19 years ago I aborted the takeoff due to leaving the pitot cover on.

3 years later during another takeoff the baggage door flew open. Didn’t realise it until I was airborne so I flew a normal circuit and landed. The baggage door still closed but I needed a new one as the skin had stretched about 1” from the hinge.

Lesson learnt? Since then the 3 things I do religiously after the walk around before climbing onboard and closing the door to depart. 

Walk around items can be missed and the following only takes around 60 seconds for what I consider to be the most important items before takeoff;

1. Stand back in one spot in front of my Mooney and check all covers (pitot, fuel vents and cowl inserts) have been removed and the fuel cap latches are flush and correctly closed.

You would be amazed what you notice by just standing there, not rushed  and taking a few seconds to simply look.

2. Open the top cowl oil door and check the dipstick is secure followed by ensuring the oil door is latched after closing.

3. The last item is to check the baggage door. Give the handle a tug. Check it is locked (I prefer it locked but YMMV) and secure then off I go.

This has served me well over the years and saved my bacon a few times.

Better than having a bad hair day.

[Raymond J1]

 

It's invisible on the picture... But in fact, at the front part, the hinge is broken. I have replaced this hinge (door side) which, for your information, is the same as the nose gear doors. Bagage door never opened in flight in 50 years...

 

I added the visual control of this hinge to the 100 h / annual.

[jaylw314]

On 10/24/2020 at 5:32 PM, Mooney in Oz said:

3. The last item is to check the baggage door. Give the handle a tug. Check it is locked (I prefer it locked but YMMV) and secure then off I go.

This has served me well over the years and saved my bacon a few times.

Better than having a bad hair day.

I have a policy about the baggage door--the baggage door doesn't get closed without locking it.  The only time it stays unlocked is when it is completely open.

It's kind of like the towbar--the towbar comes off the nosewheel if it's not being used.  If you're waiting it should come out and be placed somewhere safer.