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www.bonanza.org BPPP The Forward Door Pop By Thomas P. Turner Providing Quality Service McCauley Black Mac STC Hartzell Top Prop STC Authorized McCauley Service Center BEECHCRAFT - DOWTY ROTOL HAMILTON STANDARD - HARTZELL McCAULEY - SENSENICH - WOODWARD Full Propeller Props & Sales & Service Prop Governors Authorized Distributor • Rapco • Sensenich • Ice Shield • BF Goodrich • MT Propeller Since 1980 Toll Free 1-800-643-8379 208-344-5161 FAX 208-344-9503 FAA Repair Sta. #FG6R534N sales@precisionpropellerservice.com preprop@heritagewifi.com www.precisionpropellerservice.com 4777 Aeronca St., 4777 Aeronca St., Boise, ID ID 83705 Just as your Beechcraft lifts off, the forward cabin door pops open. What should you do? It happens all too regularly in Beech airplanes. The pilot is distracted and forgets to properly secure and check the forward cabin door, or he trusts a passenger to close the door for him and does not double-check himself. If you’ve not had this happen yet, you’re among a small minority of Beechcraft pilots. Amazingly, there are fatalities in Beech airplanes every year that result from this minor issue. Deaths occur when the pilot becomes focused on the door instead of flying the airplane – becoming a “door closer” instead of pilot-incommand, and losing control of the aircraft. ABS also hears of several gear-up landings each year when the door pops open and the pilot becomes so distracted he or she forgets to put the wheels down. Why the Door Pops The forward cabin door is held closed by a series of latches, including a large hook that engages a bracket in the top of the door frame. If that hook is not secure, suction from low air pressure on top of the wing will pull the door open, and the smaller latches can’t hold the door closed alone. The door is pulled partway open by the suction but also pushed toward closed by the slipstream. It will find equilibrium where it is open about three inches at the bottom; it is very hard to pull the door in against the suction, and almost impossible to push it farther open to get more leverage to pull it quickly closed. You have to land the airplane to secure the door. 18 AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIETY JANUARY 2013
Priorities As in all abnormal situations and emergencies, your priority of actions with an open door on takeoff is to: 1 Maintain aircraft control. n 2 Analyze the situation with as much information as you can quickly gather. 3 Continue to control the aircraft. n 4 Take the appropriate action. So what’s “appropriate” with the door open during or just after takeoff? First, if you’re still on the ground and there is sufficient runway remaining, abort the takeoff. Reduce power to idle, brake as needed, and maintain directional control. Come to a stop, then secure the door. If you’re just lifting off or airborne, it’s far safer to fly a normal pattern, land, and then secure the door. Expect a climb performance loss of about 200 feet per minute, and the need for a little extra power for level flight, descent, and flare because of the added drag. You may also notice some elevator buffet, particularly in the flare. But besides a slightly reduced climb rate, the need for a little extra power and the possibility of some buffeting, your Beechcraft flies normally with the forward cabin door open. Why is a door opening on takeoff a problem? It’s startling, and it’s loud. Your passengers may be scared, and may even panic. If you have charts, flight logs, or other items on the copilot seat, the suction will pull them right out the door. It can get bitterly cold very rapidly in cool weather with the cabin door open. The wind may hit a right-seat passenger directly in the face. Have him or her lean forward or in toward the pilot to avoid the slipstream. It may be very difficult to hear over the radio, especially if there’s a headset plugged into the copilot side, picking up wind noise. Use your audio panel’s pilot isolation switch, or reach over and pull your copilot’s microphone plug out of the jack if you need to reduce headset noise. In all cases, remember your first priority: maintain control of the airplane. On final approach, triple-check that the landing gear is down. The distraction of an open door has led to many gear-up landings. Securing the Door How do you prevent the door-open-on-takeoff scenario in the first place? Carefully close and latch the door. As you rotate the door handle counterclockwise you’ll hear two clicks. The second click is louder, and signifies that the door latch is fully rotated into the closed position. You’ll feel resistance as you rotate the handle, but little resistance Volume 13 • Number 1 AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIETY 19
Page 1 and 2: January 2013 VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 1
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