History of the Flight
On 11 February 2005, a Piper PA-34-200T Seneca (registration G-BHYG) was preparing for an IFR training flight from Oxford (Kidlington) Airport. The crew consisted of an instructor, a student pilot, and a supernumerary student who was to perform the daily Check 'A' inspection. The instructor arrived at 0655 hours, and the crew faced a tight schedule to meet an 0800 hours ILS slot at Cranfield. The supernumerary student began the Check 'A' inspection but initially approached the wrong aircraft. After repositioning, the instructor directed the students to carry out pre-flight tasks. The supernumerary completed the airframe check, while the instructor checked engine oils, which were low. He left to obtain oil, returning after some delay.
Engines were started at 0736 hours, and the aircraft taxied to the holding point. Take-off clearance was given at 0743 hours, and departure from Runway 01 occurred at 0747 hours.
The Incident
The take-off roll was normal, but shortly after lift-off, the nose baggage bay door on the left side of the aircraft opened fully. The instructor, in the right seat, saw the door handle in the vertical (unlatched) position. He took control, requested the student to remove instrument screens, and contacted ATC to land. The door slammed open and shut several times, partially detached, and flailed in front of the left-seat student before fully separating. The instructor declared a PAN, and the aircraft landed safely.
Damage
Inspection revealed that the left propeller was badly damaged from striking the departing door. The door seal was wrapped around the OAT probe. The door was recovered from a nearby golf course; its latch spring was intact, but the lock, shoot bolts, and other latch components were missing, likely knocked off by propeller contact. No distress was found to the door frame or remaining latch components on the aircraft. The door key, with a high-visibility fob, was found inside the aircraft.
Nose Baggage Bay Door Information
The upward-opening fibreglass door uses an external rotary handle to latch and unlatch. Rotating the handle from vertical to horizontal extends two shoot bolts and engages a hook. The mechanism is spring-loaded to stay closed. The door's centre of gravity causes it to fall shut, so it can appear latched even when the handle is unlatched. A lock prevents latching; mechanical interlocks normally ensure the key can only be removed when locked, and the lock only engages when latched. However, wear can allow key removal with the latch open.
Discussion
The instructor observed the handle in the unlatched position when the door opened in flight. Combined with the lack of damage to the door frame or latch components, it is probable that the door was not latched before flight. This suggests either the key could be withdrawn while unlocked or turned to locked with the handle unlatched, but the unrecovered lock prevented confirmation. Possible contributory factors included time pressure to meet take-off and ILS slots, and fatigue on the part of the supernumerary crew member, who had insufficient rest the previous night. The operator is modifying its PA-34 fleet with more visible alignment marks on the door handle and inspecting the key/latch interlock function, and will include this check in the 100-hour maintenance schedule. A communication was issued to all instructors and students to emphasize confirming correct door latching before flight.