Skin Tear

[PT20J]

12 hours ago, PT20J said:

I would check the door fit. Over time, the hinge wears and gets some slop and the door can sag and when you open and close the door, the door and fuselage skins can touch in this area. When you latch the door, it will pull this edge forward and there will be a gap. When you unlatch the door, the skins can touch and then when the door is opened it could catch the fuselage skin if it’s not flush. 

This issue might be exacerbated by a worn out door seal. Mooney originally used a seal that was a thin vinyl tube with a foam core. Over time the foam would break down and the seal would flatten allowing the door to sit lower in the frame. If it gets under the fuselage skin, I can see how it could damage it. On my 1994 M20J, there is chipped paint on the door and the fuselage skins in the area of the OP's damage, but no damage that I can see to the skins themselves. I replaced the door seals with the newer hollow neoprene seals soon after I bought the airplane and adjusted the door so that it sits flush with the fuselage.