It’s one of those little problems that can quickly escalate for a pilot in a small airplane — a door that comes open in flight. Michael Keenan was flying a Piper Aerostar twin out of Philadelphia on Wednesday morning when the passenger door became unlatched. Keenan struggled to hold the door shut, worried that it would damage the prop, but had to let go when he dislocated his shoulder, and the door ripped off its hinges and departed the aircraft. He called a nearby airport, asked for an ambulance to meet him, and landed safely (congratulations). A motorist found the door in the middle of a Pennsylvania road about 40 minutes after it fell, and except for the damaged hinges and latch it was mainly intact. Keenan was treated at a local hospital and released later in the day.
If The Door Is Leaving
Key Takeaways:
- A pilot flying a Piper Aerostar experienced a passenger door opening mid-flight.
- While attempting to hold the door shut to prevent prop damage, the pilot dislocated his shoulder, and the door subsequently ripped off the aircraft.
- Despite the incident, the pilot successfully landed the plane, received medical attention for his shoulder, and the detached door was later found by a motorist.
See a mistake? Contact us.
