REFLECTOR: Al, are you ok? How bad is the damage?

[milehitaz]

So glad you are safe and damage isn't that bad Al. Thank you for the report.
Larry Lambert
XL/RG



In a message dated 05/31/09 22:47:10 Pacific Daylight Time, ALVentures at cox.net writes:
Chris; et. al.,

Of course I was very disappointed not to make the fly-in, and other stops planned on the trip.  But I don’t want anyone to be alarmed – I’m fine, and I flew the plane back home today with an improvised door.

We were about an hour out, cruising happily along at 9500’ and 170 KTAS, when suddenly there was a noise and lots of wind blowing and the pilot side door was gone.  I have no idea why it came unlatched – I had a double detent spring which had always kept it solidly in the latched position.

It took only a few moments to determine that the plane was controllable (meaning the door had departed), and that there was no prop vibration meaning there was no prop damage. With a few moments to adapt to the new aerodynamics; it was a matter of flying to the nearest airport about 10 miles away.  Only when we got there, we found it was a small strip (looked like dirt, although I found later it was paved) in the middle of the desert with no structures of any kind anywhere in sight.  Since the plane was flying stably, I decided to head off to another about 20 miles away; and made a normal landing.

Upon landing we noted that the rear window on the passenger side had a large hole in it. Apparently as the door ripped off it was swung over the top, and the strake extension slammed into the window; and from there the door bounced clear of prop. The front hinge mounting pad was torn out; the rear hinge separated at the pin. The prop had a couple of minor marks on it apparently made by pieces of the plexiglass from the window.

The plane was about 150 miles from home; and it is now safely back in it’s hangar.  All in all, the damage is not too bad; just a lot of work to do to replace the door with my custom strake extensions, etc.

Al

-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Christopher Barber
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2009 10:10 AM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: REFLECTOR: Al, are you ok? How bad is the damage?

Al,

Please, I know you must have many distractions between weighing your 
options and counting your blessings, but, if you get a chance, let us 
know what happened on your way to the Texas Rotary Round-up.

I was so excited to hear you were coming and dumbfounded at the third 
hand report of a problem.

Was it the co-pilot door that came open?  Reportedly it ripped 
out/damaged  the structure between the doors, but the reports are VERY 
sketchy, except that you are ok, so please forgive my ignorance.

Anxiously awaiting details.

Thanks, and of course, thrilled you are ok.

All the best,

Chris Barber
Houston
>
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