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baggage door latch


Flash

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Flew into ACV tonight (Friday) on an AngelFlight. Passenger couldn't get the door open. I reached over him and tried, and for some reason the handle wouldn't budge. So I went out the baggage door instead, and opened the passenger door, and everything was good. Until I tried to relatch the baggage door, that is. Couldn't get the latch to re-engage to keep the door shut. The handle will go down, but it won't engage the pin. My guess is this will be an easier fix in the light of day, but at night, with the drizzle starting, I decided to throw in the towel and get a room. Hoping to wake up to a great tip from one of my Mooneyspace friends, and some weather that is flyable for me to return to the Bay Area (i.e., freezing level above 7,000 and no T-storms)..

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Bummer...  (dual door latch issues...)

Good call on the daylight and weather choices...

 

Not sure what fell apart on the passenger door...  removing the interior panel may give a hint...

But putting things back together on the baggage door would get you going again...

There are pics around here of how the different latch releases work... that and some daylight would be helpful...

 

Its a bit late on the east coast... but, I’ll ask @M20Doc to stop by if he is awake...  :) (door latch challenge, AOG... waiting for daylight)

Get the ball rolling this way...

See if you can post a pic of the things that aren’t working, if able...

It will help other people identify which system you have, and how it goes back together...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards, and good luck....

-a-

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Just guessing but it sounds like once you use the emergency release feature, it has to be reset somehow.  My door doesn't have the emergency release.  Also, I couldn't open my cabin door once, and had to have someone open it from the outside.  If I remember correctly, I sheared the cotter pin on the handle.  Since then the handle has been upgraded.  Hopefully someone sees your post that has a similar model Mooney. 

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Found it.  Here's the AFM Supplement from SB M20-239:

BAGGAGE DOOR The baggage compartment access door can be used as a means of auxiliary exit. The door can be opened from the in side even though locked. To open, pull off the small ABS cover, PULL out the latch pin and lift UP red handle. To verify re-engagement of latching mechanism: insert latching pin into hole of clip assembly to hold red handle down. Replace ABS cover. Operate outside handle in normal manner.

And the decal on the door:

TO CLOSE

1. STORE HANDLE

2. INSERT LOCK PIN

3. INSTALL COVER

4. CLOSE AND LATCH DOOR USING OUTSIDE HANDLE

5. LOCK DOOR

and a not so helpful picture

image.png.8645d69dbdfce88cdcdc1f5176d1a548.png

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1 hour ago, jaylw314 said:

Found it.  Here's the AFM Supplement from SB M20-239:

BAGGAGE DOOR The baggage compartment access door can be used as a means of auxiliary exit. The door can be opened from the in side even though locked. To open, pull off the small ABS cover, PULL out the latch pin and lift UP red handle. To verify re-engagement of latching mechanism: insert latching pin into hole of clip assembly to hold red handle down. Replace ABS cover. Operate outside handle in normal manner.

And the decal on the door:

TO CLOSE

1. STORE HANDLE

2. INSERT LOCK PIN

3. INSTALL COVER

4. CLOSE AND LATCH DOOR USING OUTSIDE HANDLE

5. LOCK DOOR

and a not so helpful picture

image.png.8645d69dbdfce88cdcdc1f5176d1a548.png

Thanks for the diagram. I read the placard on my door, which says the same as the language you quoted. I'll go back out and take a look in the daylight.

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7 hours ago, Flash said:

Thanks for the diagram. I read the placard on my door, which says the same as the language you quoted. I'll go back out and take a look in the daylight.

I found it a bit tricky on mine to get the inside and outside handles reengaged properly. There’s a pin than has to engage a slot — hard to explain without pictures, but it should be obvious in the light of day.

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Baggage door issue resolved! After many unsuccessful attempts to get the latches to engage correctly, I removed the panel on the inside of the door, which allowed me to solve the problem in five seconds.

Passenger door is working fine today. Not sure what happened last night with it.

Now, I just need a break in the weather so I can get home.

Thanks for the support!

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I know our main door will not open if the locking mechanism is not completely vertical. It's possible to take the key out when it's not completely vertical when unlocking and then get in close the door and now you're locked in.  

It's one of the last things I checked before I get in the airplane is to make sure that that block is completely up and down.

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Just now, Boilermonkey said:

I know our main door will not open if the locking mechanism is not completely vertical. It's possible to take the key out when it's not completely vertical when unlocking and then get in close the door and now you're locked in.  

It's one of the last things I checked before I get in the airplane is to make sure that that block is completely up and down.

Thanks. I've noticed the same thing. I should be more attentive when I'm taking the key out of the lock.

The good news everything is working and there was a gap in the weather and I made it home, so this is one of the cheapest things I've ever had go wrong in an airplane.

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Heard a Mooney pilot call ground control at KSJC many years ago to declare an emergency. When queried about his problem he stated that the door wouldn’t open and it was about 120 degrees inside and he was going to die if someone didn’t come let him out.

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I would advise taking the pull strap and both panels off the main door. Generously lubricate all shafts, pivot points, top clamshell clamp, striker, pins, connectors and guides. I bet it hasn’t been done in years.   I use Tri-flow with some LPS2 also to make sure it stays wet. You may want to drill a small hole or two in the aluminum shell so that you can spray the internal guides with the plastic extension on the spray cans.  Exercise the latches. Then consider any adjustments. It may    be messy but you won’t get locked in. 
 

Also sometimes the internal guides on the shaft going to the top latch wear or come lose which changes the geometry and the top clamshell latch won’t release. 

Edited by 1980Mooney
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