Terrifying moment after plane door opens mid-air

[Rover]

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/26/asia/south-korea-plane-door-opens-midair-intl-hnk/index.html

 

[Brian Battuello]

Great. Now everyone knows they can do that. Wonder what the FAA will say about it.

 

[west point]

No comment as I do not know the design of the door/. Other aircraft not possible without major fault(s). Door mechanism is such that it goes in and then out to door stops all around door. Cabin pressure keeps it snug against door stops.

 

[VAtrainfan]

It was less than 1000 feet from the ground and a minute or so from landing, so the pressure differential is close to zero. Still not possible at altitude. But that's not going to stop idiots and the mentally unstable from trying now.

 

[jis]

No comment as I do not know the design of the door/. Other aircraft not possible without major fault(s). Door mechanism is such that it goes in and then out to door stops all around door. Cabin pressure keeps it snug against door stops.

Aircraft was A321. It was less than a 1000' above ground, so there was no pressure difference between outside and inside.

Here is the airliner.net thread on it:

Passenger Opens door before landing Asiana A321 - Airliners.net

If this becomes a prevalent malfunction of human brains they might require the maintenance of some pressure differential until plane hits the ground in order to prevent repeat.

 

[west point]

Aircraft was A321. It was less than a 1000' above ground, so there was no pressure difference between outside and inside.

Here is the airliner.net thread on it:

Passenger Opens door before landing Asiana A321 - Airliners.net

If this becomes a prevalent malfunction of human brains they might require the maintenance of some pressure differential until plane hits the ground in order to prevent repeat.

All the planes I flew we kept about 300 feet pressure till touchdown, so passengers do not get that last minute pressure on ears. If cabin was at 1000 feet above airport elevation. What was nice is the pressure controllers will dump cabin on landing by opening outflow valve without any action on part of flight crew.

It will interesting to find out if crew dumped cabin or did not set landing airport elevation before take off. Give origin and destination and can analyze this particular incident.

 

[jis]

All the planes I flew we kept about 300 feet pressure till touchdown, so passengers do not get that last minute pressure on ears. If cabin was at 1000 feet above airport elevation. What was nice is the pressure controllers will dump cabin on landing by opening outflow valve without any action on part of flight crew.

It will interesting to find out if crew dumped cabin or did not set landing airport elevation before take off. Give origin and destination and can analyze this particular incident.

Perhaps the crew played fast and loose with Cabin Pressurization procedures making this possible?

 

[Brian Battuello]

I would sure like to hope this was a result of slightly improper settings. Still, people could try to open it shortly after landing. Or any time the plane is taxiing or stopped on the ground. After all, they are designed to open and deploy in case of emergency. Just would hate to see this become routine.

In terms of nut cases, I recall that a flight attendant opened one intentionally on the tarmac a few years ago.

 

[jis]

I would sure like to hope this was a result of slightly improper settings. Still, people could try to open it shortly after landing. Or any time the plane is taxiing or stopped on the ground. After all, they are designed to open and deploy in case of emergency. Just would hate to see this become routine.

In terms of nut cases, I recall that a flight attendant opened one intentionally on the tarmac a few years ago.

Doors have been opened on the ground while taxiing or at other inappropriate places dozens of times. That is not new. What is new is being able to open it while still in the air. On the ground it is mostly inconvenient but not lethally dangerous. In air it is potentially lethally dangerous.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Great. Now everyone knows they can do that. Wonder what the FAA will say about it.

This incident did not involve a US airline, US aircraft, or US flight, so the FAA may not have much to say publicly. Although shocking in the sense that plug type doors are normally incapable of being opened in flight due to the pressure differential it looks like this was a string unlikely variables lining up just right to allow for a highly improbable outcome.

I would sure like to hope this was a result of slightly improper settings. Still, people could try to open it shortly after landing. Or any time the plane is taxiing or stopped on the ground. After all, they are designed to open and deploy in case of emergency. Just would hate to see this become routine.

As someone who flies regularly this nonfatal incident is not especially worrisome. If anything I'm glad to know that even in the extremely unlikely event that someone opens a plug door when it's briefly possible to do so the plane can still land safely. So long as everyone else is buckled up the risk is born by whoever is trying to open the door.

 

[west point]

In the US maximum cabin altitude is usually 8500 feet pressure altitude. Believe A-321 max airport altitude was listed at 9200 feet. If cabin altitude meets airplane altitude then passengers and crew are going to feel altitude changes which may be anywhere up to 2000 feet per minute. That will certainly cause passengers great discomfort or worse is stopped up sinus.

Just one more reason not to get on airplanes when stopped up might happen. Big question IMO did cabin altitude meet outside of airplane and how high was plane if it happened.

 

[jis]

In the US maximum cabin altitude is usually 8500 feet pressure altitude. Believe A-321 max airport altitude was listed at 9200 feet. If cabin altitude meets airplane altitude then passengers and crew are going to feel altitude changes which may be anywhere up to 2000 feet per minute. That will certainly cause passengers great discomfort or worse is stopped up sinus.

Just one more reason not to get on airplanes when stopped up might happen. Big question IMO did cabin altitude meet outside of airplane and how high was plane if it happened.

The plane was at around 700’ altitude from the runway when it happened. It is not clear what exactly you are talking about and asking since we all are not familiar with the terminology you use.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

The plane was at around 700’ altitude from the runway when it happened. It is not clear what exactly you are talking about and asking since we all are not familiar with the terminology you use.

I think he’s talking about altitude sickness and sinus congestion, both of which I get and two reasons why I don’t fly.

 

[railiner]

Some of the newer airliners maintain more comfortable cabin altitudes of only 6,000 feet, as well as higher humidity levels, for greater comfort…

 

[ljclark]

This video should answer most of the questions:



Juan Browne is an ATP and his YouTube channel is pretty rational.

 

[west point]

There are many questions here. What caused the passenger to go bananas? Was it variations in cabin altitudes? How long did it take for passenger to get to the exit door?

FYI all airplanes have a maximum differential pressure limitation. Inside cabin pressure to outside pressure. To keep cabin altitude at or below 8500 feet that will limit maximum certified operating altitude. For example, the DC-9 has a max altitude of 35,000 feet. Whereas the B-727 has a max altitude of 42,000 feet. However most 727 jockeys will tell you 37,000 feet is about as high as you want to fly. There are aerodynamics that can cause problem in turbulence at those higher altitudes. Plus rather weight limited.

 

[Rover]

Asiana Airlines to stop selling seats near emergency exit on Airbus A321s

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/south-korea-asiana-emergency-exit-seats-sales-stop-intl-hnk/index.html

 

[ljclark]

This video should answer most of the questions:



Juan Browne is an ATP and his YouTube channel is pretty rational.

In the video you will see information about the mechanism of the door itself (including the booster cylinder that allows the door to open into the wind) as well as a chart showing the cabin pressure vs the atmospheric pressure as the aircraft descends to land.

That might help calm down some the the speculation irrelevant "information" posted in this thread.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Asiana Airlines to stop selling seats near emergency exit on Airbus A321s

In my view blocking off exit row seats is an overreaction to a singular noninjurious event. One person loses their mind and tall people lose access to the only seats that can fit long legs in modern coach cabins. I hope this rule does not spread to other airlines.

 

[TrainOtter]

Not selling seats near an emergency exit only means a person of questionable stability has to walk a little farther to do something stupid and/or damaging. I'm not one of those "you can't stop them so why bother" people. They can be stopped, or slowed down, but not selling those seats isn't how.

And to paraphrase Devil's Advocate, stuffing tall(ish) people into shorter coach seats to satisfy management's drive for "how do we stop that from ever happening again" is ludicrous. People are endlessly inventive.

 

[west point]

Last time I flew only able bodied persons allowed to sit by all emergency exits. That includes over wing window exits that do take some what effort . Especially how to place window after removal from opening.