Have you guys seen this? Mooney Baggage Hatch Incident

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TipTanks

Pre-takeoff checklist
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TipTanks
Hey All, I saw this today and could not find another thread? Thoughts?

 
Apparently this is a "known" thing with Mooney
 
I didn't get super involved in it but there's a thread on mooneyspace about it. Allegedly supposed to lock the door which some people don't because they like having an extra option for an emergency exit
 
I bet he double checks the latches everytime since then.

Kept his head, did what needed to be done to get on the ground, landed and all safe.

And plenty of port-a-potties near....
 
Zeldman said:
I bet he double checks the latches everytime since then.

Kept his head, did what needed to be done to get on the ground, landed and all safe.

And plenty of port-a-potties near....
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I thought his wife kept her head. A keeper for that reason, and a few others.
 
She did do well under the circumstances. I loved the part....''Where are we.???''
 
My Mooney transition instructor told me to always ensure the baggage door is latched AND LOCKED!

If left unlocked, the door can come open and it WILL get ripped off of the airframe. If you’re lucky, you only lose the door. If you’re unlucky, like these folks, it smashes into one of the control surfaces.

@Ryanb has ridden with me a number of times and can verify that I check that it is locked before every flight.
 
Seems a safety wire to keep it attached would be a simple and possibly life saving addition.
 
Confession time. I took off once with mine unlatched. Didn’t even realize it at first, the airplane was just 5 knots slow. Finally looked back and saw daylight. I was going to divert, but I realized that by the time I got down from my descent I’d be at my destination. Landed normally, of course in front of a gaggle of friends. Got lots of good natured ribbing, but my CFI confessed that he did the same thing and the door departed the airframe. What it didn’t do was wrap itself around the empennage and half wreck the airframe. I think the pilot did a spectacular job considering all the damage. Only instance I’ve ever heard of where the door hit the airframe.
 
Did they land on a grass runway or was that some random field? Would you have continued to the nearest airfield or performed an emergency landing?
 
YooperMooney said:
Did they land on a grass runway or was that some random field? Would you have continued to the nearest airfield or performed an emergency landing?
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Kind of what I was thinking. As serious as this was <or is> did it really warrant the need to land off airport? Seemed like he was able to maintain aircraft control after the initial blow to the horizontal stab. I think if it was me, I would’ve tried to get to the nearest airport, but I hate to armchair quarterback it.
 
Ryanb said:
Kind of what I was thinking. As serious as this was <or is> did it really warrant the need to land off airport? Seemed like he was able to maintain aircraft control after the initial blow to the horizontal stab. I think if it was me, I would’ve tried to get to the nearest airport, but I hate to armchair quarterback it.
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But then your paying to fix the airplane.

Now the insurance is paying to fix it and you get a free overhaul and prop!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Just because it's under control immediately after the incident, when you have no way to really assess the nature and extent of the damage best to get it on the ground. You have no way of telling if something else is going to fail once there's been damage like that. The idea that one should try to "save the plane" is what kills people.
Planes are just dumb machines, easily replaceable.
 
Looked like a grass strip or just land at the airport as he rolled out and crossed a runway or taxiway. He didn't really lose the baggage door, it just relocated the the elevator. Lucky it did not jam the elevator, although he may not have had full control. looked like he landed a little hot.
 
Video description.
Steven Le Van, 28, and his wife were embarking on their second flight of the day when only after 15 minutes into their journey between Charlton Park and Fairoaks, the baggage hatch of the plane dramatically broke free from it's hinges leaving a wide open hole in the plane as it soared 2,100 ft above the ground. To make matters worse for the frightened couple, the loose metal managed to wedge itself between the elevator fork and the main surface restricting free movement of Steven's flight controls. Managing to regain control of the plane, and the situation, Steven used his experience in order to declare a "Mayday" as he decided to emergency land the Mooney M20K plane onto an old grass strip in Membury.
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Jamie Kirk said:
But then your paying to fix the airplane.

Now the insurance is paying to fix it and you get a free overhaul and prop!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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I thought I’ve read otherwise regarding whether or not the insurance company would pay for an overhaul, etc. I’m trying to think of the specifics but I believe there are situations where they won’t pay for certain things.
It’s good to know our coverage limits and when the ins company will give us hell. Paying 1.8 AMU’s a year to insure a 35-40 AMU plane is less enticing when we read/hear of anecdotes of where they won’t pay for certain things.
 
YooperMooney said:
Did they land on a grass runway or was that some random field? Would you have continued to the nearest airfield or performed an emergency landing?
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There is some indication that the elevator was partially jammed and he could not maintain altitude. I'm guessing that's why he landed so hot (couldn't get the nose up any higher). He held off on the gear until just before touchdown. After he touched down, I was thinking it might have been better to keep the gear in the wells. I think I might choose to take guaranteed belly damage and guaranteed engine rebuild over the possibility of hitting trees at speed if I can't get it stopped in time.
 
YooperMooney said:
I thought I’ve read otherwise regarding whether or not the insurance company would pay for an overhaul, etc. I’m trying to think of the specifics but I believe there are situations where they won’t pay for certain things.
It’s good to know our coverage limits and when the ins company will give us hell. Paying 1.8 AMU’s a year to insure a 35-40 AMU plane is less enticing when we read/hear of anecdotes of where they won’t pay for certain things.
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If you have 1800 hours on a 2K hour engine and prang the prop, should the insurance company be on the hook for giving you a zero hour engine?
That being said, I've only made five insurance claims of any type in my 63 years, and all were satisfactory.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
If you have 1800 hours on a 2K hour engine and prang the prop, should the insurance company be on the hook for giving you a zero hour engine?
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I believe that is known as 'betterment' and they usually won't pay for it. They'll pay to open it and inspect it and R&R anything found to be damaged by the incident only. If the top end is worn but otherwise undamaged, they won't pay for a new one.
 
Juliet Hotel said:
I believe that is known as 'betterment' and they usually won't pay for it. They'll pay to open it and inspect it and R&R anything found to be damaged by the incident only. If the top end is worn but otherwise undamaged, they won't pay for a new one.
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Yep, that's the word.
 
GRG55 said:
Just because it's under control immediately after the incident, when you have no way to really assess the nature and extent of the damage best to get it on the ground. You have no way of telling if something else is going to fail once there's been damage like that. The idea that one should try to "save the plane" is what kills people.
Planes are just dumb machines, easily replaceable.
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A fair point.
 
Ryanb said:
Kind of what I was thinking. As serious as this was <or is> did it really warrant the need to land off airport? Seemed like he was able to maintain aircraft control after the initial blow to the horizontal stab. I think if it was me, I would’ve tried to get to the nearest airport, but I hate to armchair quarterback it.
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The pilot posted this up on Mooneyspace. The door half wrecked the airplane, I'll be surprised if it's fixable. The fuselage was twisted from the force of the one-sided drag on the empennage. The pilot said the aircraft was barely controllable, and when I saw the photos of the damage I couldn't argue. He's an amazing stick to put in down in one piece with no one hurt.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Do you have a link to the thread?
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I'll sum it up for you.........................ANY comment other than "this was the most perfect emergency landing ever of all time" is deemed as devilspeak and the user is outcast and lambasted to the fullest extent possible.
 
Took him an awful long time to slow down, and that 45 degree steep turn seemed unnecessary and unwise, but I wasn't flying the plane, so not a criticism, just an observation from safe ground.
 
Salty said:
Took him an awful long time to slow down, and that 45 degree steep turn seemed unnecessary and unwise, but I wasn't flying the plane, so not a criticism, just an observation from safe ground.
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He said he kept 100kts until short final, so yes, very hot. But, that makes sense to me. You have a damaged horizontal stab and reduced elevator movement and/or effectiveness. At what airspeed does the damaged tailplane stall? Only the shadow knows, but keeping speed up was a wise move in my opinion.
 
I, and one other Mooney guy I know taxied with the door open... For me, it was a "where's that strange breeze coming from" before noticing it. It happened to me because I climbed in to set up headsets etc. I usually take one more walk around after that but because my wife climbed in beside me, I neglected to do that last check... I now have a label on the Panel... "BAGGAGE DOOR LATCHED?"

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Bill Jennings said:
He said he kept 100kts until short final, so yes, very hot. But, that makes sense to me. You have a damaged horizontal stab and reduced elevator movement and/or effectiveness. At what airspeed does the damaged tailplane stall? Only the shadow knows, but keeping speed up was a wise move in my opinion.
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Maybe, maybe not. It also could have caused more damage and ripped something further off. I still would have slowed down immediately, but what he did kept them alive, so good job!
 
steingar said:
The pilot posted this up on Mooneyspace. The door half wrecked the airplane, I'll be surprised if it's fixable. The fuselage was twisted from the force of the one-sided drag on the empennage. The pilot said the aircraft was barely controllable, and when I saw the photos of the damage I couldn't argue. He's an amazing stick to put in down in one piece with no one hurt.
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The fact the door didn't completely destroy the horizontal stab on the one side shows once again the strength of the Mooney airframe, and it's incredible track record of virtually no recorded in-flight breakups (I think to date there is still only the one instance tangling with a thunderstorm?).
 
GRG55 said:
The fact the door didn't completely destroy the horizontal stab on the one side shows once again the strength of the Mooney airframe, and it's incredible track record of virtually no recorded in-flight breakups (I think to date there is still only the one instance tangling with a thunderstorm?).
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Yeah, Mooneys are built stout. A few years ago a Navy pilot got his J into a departure stall, crashed into a house. He, his wife and daughter all emerged with little more than scratches. Someone did roughly the same thing in a Bo a year or two later, everyone died. If you can keep your Mooney under control odds are you'll survive the crash, unless you crash into the face of a mountain.
 
steingar said:
Yeah, Mooneys are built stout. A few years ago a Navy pilot got his J into a departure stall, crashed into a house. He, his wife and daughter all emerged with little more than scratches. Someone did roughly the same thing in a Bo a year or two later, everyone died. If you can keep your Mooney under control odds are you'll survive the crash, unless you crash into the face of a mountain.
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Unless the fuel tanks rupture, and they usually do, and fuel ignites...the Acclaim accident in Phoenix comes to mind.
 
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