Baggage Door Came Open During Flight

[AlanA]

I picked up my plane today after some avionics repairs. The pre-flight inspection was good. But a few moments after take off my baggage door suddenly popped open. I knew for fact that I had locked it. Even with the door open my speed was increasing and I was gaining altitude. I landed without a problem. Upon inspection I found the door latch locked. There appears to be no damage. The door fits fine. I attempted to secure the door by unlocking and relocking it but it doesn't make any difference. Either way with only a minor tug the door opens. The problem seems to be in the latching mechanism.

Has anyone else had this problem? If maybe one of the shop guys pulled on the emergency wire from the inside would this case ths to happen? If the emergency release is pulled is there something you have to do to reset it? If I need a new latch where might I find one?

I hope one of you may have the answer! Thx.

[Mooneyjet]

I have not had that happen to me yeat! However always ensure to

Aviate

Navigate

Communicate

[filmsense]

I had the door pop open on last week when a passenger decided to open it before entering the plane without me knowing. It opened on take off and the plastic from the inside tore off. It is now slightly bent near the join. Landing in a crosswind was not pretty. I was advised to not lock it by an instructor. I will now all ways lock it before flight. The passenger who is a cpl offered to pay for the repair.

[carusoam]

First thing to consider...

Your plane's door can be opened from the inside. If not, it can be updated to allow opening from the inside.

Since it is the secondary exit, you would not want to have it locked during a flight.

Honestly, I have forgotten whether having it locked precludes emergency exit.

Mine gets unlocked at preflight and relocked post flight.

Find a printed list for passenger guidelines. I think there is one in the download section.

You are PIC, right? Where do you suppose the responsibility lies?

Mooney pilots are responsible for a great many things. Keep the clean side up. Stay out of IMC until trained. Keep gas in the tanks. Close all doors prior to flight, or train the individual that closes the door.

There are many baggage doors and hinges that have been replaced over the years...

Tough first post. Welcome aboard!

Best regards,

-a-

[yvesg]

One of the preflight checks I do after runup is ask any passenger who can reach it to push on the baggage door from inside to see if it will open. I added this many years ago after I cancelled a takeoff where the thinghy opened on the takeoff run.

Yves

[Seth]

I had the bag door on my former F pop open one time during the takeoff roll and I aborted the takeoff.  The instructor had not latched it properly, and this was not the instructor I normally flew with who ensured it was locked when he got in - my bad for not checking it personally and I do every time now.

 

I do lock mine prior to every flight as I don't want that occurring in the Missile.  The Missile has a cover that you remove from the inside and can thus unlock the baggage door from the inside if you are trapped.  Thus, I always lock it prior to flight.

 

-Seth

[BigTex]

I never lock mine because I want farmer Joe to be able to have a way in if I end up in a field and my door is jammed shut. I always give it a good tug as I climb up.

[Hank]

I use the baggage door handle as a grip climbing in. Helps make sure it's closed.

[Bob - S50]

I always lock mine before flight

[47U]

Once upon a time, a friend with a '62B was headed westbound into Ramona (east of San Diego) and got into turbulence from an on shore flow so bad the baggage door popped open. I'd say that's a pretty strong airframe to keep the tail on with that much flex in the fuselage. His A&P reskinned the door and got it straightened out.

Too bad, though... a few years later, in the late '90s, the camshaft gear came loose from bolt under torque (830 SMOH) and the motor quit. An off airport lamding in eastern Colorado did in N6405U for good. Pilot had some back issues, but recovered well enough he's still a scratch golfer today. At least that's what he tells me. An off airport landing in the rocks and desert scrub and walking away... that's a pretty strong airframe. Tighten up those seat belts and shoulder harnesses and you've got a better chance in a Mooney than most airplanes.

[M20JFlyer]

I fly frequently with family pax in the back seats of my J. No prop spins or wheels turn till we have recited the required EXIT drill including the baggage door which has a large 2 inch red EMERGENCY placard attached clearly inside the bag door.

1. Reading the prior posts on flying with bag door locked reminds me that the 34 gallons of 100ll is located under my exit path.

2. That in recip pistons take off is a demanding time for our 4 cylinder lycoming.

3. My grand kids have their rip stick helmets on and once a year have done a mock exit pulling the pin and opening that emergency exit. ( my plastic cover for this pin is in a drawer in my hangar) my bag door is not locked in flight.

4. The planes PLB IS VELCROED to the top of the cabin and goes out with the first exiting pax.

We do fly the strongest most safe single engine ever built ..pls.. And this forum is redundant with safety issues every day

I have been asked no less than 100 times why I have a bicycle helmet in my cockpit.

Any comments on off field landings are appreciated. Cudo's to our Canadian friend's non event landing -- dead stick

[DaV8or]

I used to fly with the baggage unlocked, but I was cautioned by enough Mooney experts that I now lock it before flight. However, my door is the old original and I am curious if there is a retro fit available for me to unlock and open the door from the inside in an emergency? Has anybody with a vintage door done this?

[BigTex]

My C model has one of those unofficial pull rings installed.  However it doesn't unlock it.  It only pops the latch.

[PaulB]

My C model has one of those unofficial pull rings installed.  However it doesn't unlock it.  It only pops the latch.

Do you have a picture of this?

[BigTex]

Unfortunately no.  I never took any pictures of it with the interior removed.  I'll look at getting a picture for you.

[FloridaMan]

I had the door pop open on last week when a passenger decided to open it before entering the plane without me knowing. It opened on take off and the plastic from the inside tore off. It is now slightly bent near the join. Landing in a crosswind was not pretty. I was advised to not lock it by an instructor. I will now all ways lock it before flight. The passenger who is a cpl offered to pay for the repair.

 

http://www.equipped.com/196ditch.htm

 

If the pilot in that accident had locked the door, there would have likely been at least one fatality. 

[jetdriven]

if you are going to fly outside of gliding distance from land, wear the life vests.
 I do.

 

from the article:

Miller also committed an all too common error by storing the life vests and life raft in the baggage compartment. If the plane is full, there may be no other choice. More often, the seats are not full and this survival equipment can be made much more accessible. The life raft should have been strapped into the rear seat next to Bob. Bob should have been instructed to take it with him when exiting. Alternatively, Miller would have been able to reach back and grab it on his way out. As much as possible, you want to preclude having to go back into the aircraft for anything. Miller very nearly didn't get the life raft out in time and was nearly knocked unconscious in the process. The closer to hand emergency equipment is, the more likely it will go out the door with you.

Life vests should always be worn when flying over water, such as Miller was planning on doing that late afternoon. There is often not enough time to get the vest out, unpack it and don it within the close confines of a small aircraft cabin. This is an even bigger problem for the pilot who has to keep flying the aircraft during this critical period. Miller learned his lesson, "I bought the pouch style vests that you wear around your waist and can don almost instantly."

[Jsavage3]

Honestly, I have forgotten whether having it locked precludes emergency exit.

 

They say curiosity killed the cat and this made me curious...

 

Pre-1981 J-model baggage door's could not be opened from the inside if the exterior door latch was locked.  Don't quote me, but I have been led to believe that in 1981, Mooney began installing the interior baggage-door-opening-mechanism with which a cover (I painted mine red) could be pulled and then a pin pulled after which the baggage door would open whether it was locked or not...i.e. a more user-friendly escape hatch...

[ArtVandelay]

They say curiosity killed the cat and this made me curious...

 

Pre-1981 J-model baggage door's could not be opened from the inside if the exterior door latch was locked.  Don't quote me, but I have been led to believe that in 1981, Mooney began installing the interior baggage-door-opening-mechanism with which a cover (I painted mine red) could be pulled and then a pin pulled after which the baggage door would open whether it was locked or not...i.e. a more user-friendly escape hatch...

This is from a 88J, is this the cover you have?

 

[Jsavage3]

This is from a 88J, is this the cover you have?

 

eh.gif

 

Yes, that is like the one I have.

[jetdriven]

I just added the emergency release. But I swapped the whole door and all.

[Cris]

In thousands of Mooney hours I have had but one baggage door opening which happened on takeoff as a result of not fully latching the door- my bad but no damage just need to slow down and land. Personally I subscribe to the possibility of a Good Samaritan helping out through the baggage door which would need to be unlocked. I like that better than worrying about possible damage to the A/C due to an inadvertent opening. Just my opinion but I put this in the category of safety first.

[jetdriven]

One key difference I have noticed with my new baggage door is the later style outside handle is spring loaded to close. Unless it it left fully open it will likely spring closed. the older baggage doors are neutral, the latch stops where you leave it.  I still lock the baggage door, but I feel a whole lot more secure with a baggage door handle that is flush with a spring holding it shut, locked or not.

[PTK]

I just added the emergency release. But I swapped the whole door and all.

Byron, how difficult was it to fit another door?

There are subtle differences among our Mooneys being they're handmade.

[jetdriven]

the replacement door went on OK. The skin was slightly bigger than the hole in my plane, a body file brought the seams in nicely.