SR20 door opens during flight!

Guest Discussion
1

Yesterday the rod end at the lower door hinge (pilots door) broke during flight. As a result, the door opens for aproximately 1/2 inch. The plane could be landed safely.
This defect must be material, manufacturing or design related, because the same happened a few months before at the Co-Pilots door.
It is easy to imagine what happens if the door will rip of and crash into the rear end of the planes fuselage. Immediate loss of control would follow. A life threatening situation is obvious.
We already brought that to the attention of Cirrusdesign, Duluth, and asked for a statement. We did not get any answer until today.
Is there anybody else with that problem?

Harald

2

In reply to:

Yesterday the rod end at the lower door hinge (pilots door) broke during flight. As a result, the door opens for aproximately 1/2 inch. The plane could be landed safely.
This defect must be material, manufacturing or design related, because the same happened a few months before at the Co-Pilots door.
It is easy to imagine what happens if the door will rip of and crash into the rear end of the planes fuselage. Immediate loss of control would follow. A life threatening situation is obvious.
We already brought that to the attention of Cirrusdesign, Duluth, and asked for a statement. We did not get any answer until today.
Is there anybody else with that problem?
Harald

Please consider joining COPA so that you can read COPA Response!.

3

In reply to:

Yesterday the rod end at the lower door hinge (pilots door) broke during flight. As a result, the door opens for aproximately 1/2 inch. The plane could be landed safely.
This defect must be material, manufacturing or design related, because the same happened a few months before at the Co-Pilots door.
It is easy to imagine what happens if the door will rip of and crash into the rear end of the planes fuselage. Immediate loss of control would follow. A life threatening situation is obvious.
We already brought that to the attention of Cirrusdesign, Duluth, and asked for a statement. We did not get any answer until today.
Is there anybody else with that problem?
Harald

In essence, what Marty W. was talking about is that the door hinge is a known issue among COPA members and Cirrus Design and that they are working on a study and a fix. I don’t recall, but I think there has been on SA/SB about Hinge rods, but you can find out more by either joining COPA, (A great organization and well worth the the $50-, but then I’m biased, or by looking on CD’s web site.)

4

In reply to:

Yesterday the rod end at the lower door hinge (pilots door) broke during flight. As a result, the door opens for aproximately 1/2 inch. The plane could be landed safely.
This defect must be material, manufacturing or design related, because the same happened a few months before at the Co-Pilots door.
It is easy to imagine what happens if the door will rip of and crash into the rear end of the planes fuselage. Immediate loss of control would follow. A life threatening situation is obvious.
We already brought that to the attention of Cirrusdesign, Duluth, and asked for a statement. We did not get any answer until today.WHAT WAS THE ANSWER?
Is there anybody else with that problem?
Harald

HarAld,

How does the rod actually break “in-flight?” If this has happened before have you examined how you are treating your a/c? Maybe you can integrate a more complete preflight process since this is the second time on the same a/c. Good luck on your fix and let us know what Cirrus Design responded with.

I’ve been airborne with the door accidentaly cracked open and did not think it was life threatening precisely due to the design. The aerodynamic nature of the door keeps it pressed mostly closed.

What is the serial # of the plane?

5

In reply to:

Yesterday the rod end at the lower door hinge (pilots door) broke during flight. As a result, the door opens for aproximately 1/2 inch. The plane could be landed safely.
This defect must be material, manufacturing or design related, because the same happened a few months before at the Co-Pilots door.
It is easy to imagine what happens if the door will rip of and crash into the rear end of the planes fuselage. Immediate loss of control would follow. A life threatening situation is obvious.
We already brought that to the attention of Cirrusdesign, Duluth, and asked for a statement. We did not get any answer until today.
Is there anybody else with that problem?
Harald

In this heat we are having a door that opens in flight seems like a great idea!..Ed

6

Hello to all members, IÂ’m new to this forum and am in desperate need of some advice. Some weeks ago I hired a SR20 G2 from local flying school once airborne in my way back to base the pilotÂ’s side rod end on the lower door hinge broke. I returned & landed at aerodrome thinking latch may have come lose, when I opened the door I discovered that the hinge ha din fact broken. Being a low hour private pilot I did not feel comfortable at all in flying the aircraft back to base with 3 pax on. As a result we had to drive 90min home at our expense.

The company I hired the aircraft from is now trying to make me pay for two of their instructors to fly a SR22 to collect the damaged SR20 & fly it back as well as all landing fees for both aircraft. Instead of wanting $370 they want $1240.

I find this totally unreasonable, as I have found other case (yours included) of the same failure in yet they insist I caused the damage & must pay as I signed out the aircraft & IÂ’m responsible for any damage.

If anyone has any thoughts or ideas regarding this matter Id love to hear from you.

Thanks so much for your help

Kinds Regards

Tim
QLD Australia

7

How can someone own an airplane that cost this much and not want to pay $50 a year to be able to access the knowledge base? Sigh

8

This is what scares me about ever owning a Cirrus… The minute someone mentions any problems they are having everyone jumps on them about not being a member and discussing it on the other side. Seems that everyone is trying to squelch anything bad about the aircraft.

Most folks are not going to join the COPA board until after they have purchased a Cirrus. Yet the way this thing is setup, you can’t access much detail until after you join. Seem backwards to me.

9

Roy–its a funny thing—I have learned so much from this Board and made some great friends—but I guess some people have not made the leap because they may be anti internet???

10

Could be - but they are here asking when most of the answers are on the member side. I understand people here that don’t own a Cirrus, but to own a Cirrus and not safe thousands (literally) by what is shared on the other side seems a shame.

11

I joined COPA 5 months before ordering my Cirrus…I learned so much about the plane before and even more the last 2.8 years after purchase. Before joining COPA I pretty much knew very little about aircraft engines and airframes. Now I can talk to a mechanic about Alt 2 couplings, cpu, water in static syetem, etc, etc, etc…I have learned so much on this site…

12

In reply to:

This is what scares me about ever owning a Cirrus…

2500 or so owners aren’t at all scared.

In reply to:

The minute someone mentions any problems they are having everyone jumps on them about not being a member and discussing it on the other side.

People that consider spending many hundreds of thousands of dollars agree. It’s better to spend $50 to get a good understanding of the material. BTW, Consumer Reports, Aviation Consumer, Flying, Plane & Pilot also charge as do most wothwhile professional newsletters.

In reply to:

Seems that everyone is trying to squelch anything bad about the aircraft.

You gotta be kiddin’. On the members side we are bitching all the time about the problems with our aircraft.

In reply to:

Most folks are not going to join the COPA board until after they have purchased a Cirrus.

Boy, are you wrong. Personally, as a professional, I don’t do anything of value without doing “due dilligence”. Don’t even think about buying any aircraft without being a member of their forum first. Also, test fly the plane before you put down a deposit. It’s all part of “due dilligence”.

In reply to:

Yet the way this thing is setup, you can’t access much detail until after you join.

That’s because about 2100 of us are trying to keep a secret from you.

In reply to:

Seem backwards to me.

Some pilots learn from their mistakes
Smart pilots learn from others mistakes.

Sometimes, it’s a good idea to ask others with more experience before making the final decision.

13

In reply to:

This is what scares me about ever owning a Cirrus… The minute someone mentions any problems they are having everyone jumps on them about not being a member and discussing it on the other side. Seems that everyone is trying to squelch anything bad about the aircraft.
Most folks are not going to join the COPA board until after they have purchased a Cirrus. Yet the way this thing is setup, you can’t access much detail until after you join. Seem backwards to me.

I’d agree with your post if the purpose of COPA was to sell airplanes on Cirrus Design’s behalf.

COPA is not selling planes. COPA does not financially benefit from your decision to purchase a Cirrus or not.

COPA’s value is a membership.

Would you be scared to buy a set of golf clubs because the golf course did not give you free rounds of golf (or lessons) on their course?

Cirrus is sells airplanes For about $300k and up. COPA sells membership…the value of which is the network, information and access. A COPA membership only costs about $50 yearly. Any true aeronautical enthusiast would agree that $50 (now less than 1 hour of gas) is a bargain.

I can see that a response on the “guest” side could be interperted as squelching. However, most issues raised on the guest side are discussed at length on the member side. The content of those threads can accumulate to hundreds of hours of aggregated composition. Encouraging someone to join to get the answer from my perspective would be the best suggestion to get a complete answer. Additionaly the membership side is dynamically interactive.

You may find the process backwards and that feeling is probably noted by the board managing COPA. However, there are more than 2100 people who have stepped forward with their wallets and suggested the system as designed is equitably fine. Personally, I can provide my testimony ‘the $50 paid to COPA has been the best value of ANY purchase I have ever made in aviation.’

Last, I’m concerned for Harald, where is he?

His post is like a Hit and Run accident.

There were legitimate responses to attend to his question. Harald should exercise some basic etiquette to reply to others that have attempted to help him IMHO. If something happened to him I’d like to know. Did he get resolution? If he was a member I could probably call or email Harald to make sure he is ok. At this point I can not even be sure he is a real individual.

Fly Safe, from just a COPA member…

14

In reply to:

Most folks are not going to join the COPA board until after they have purchased a Cirrus.

As soon as I was in the market for a Cirrus, I joined COPA, and similarly DAPO for Diamond. Then I took the time to read owner’s experiences in the respective forums, before making my choice. They were only $50 each, and although COPA is far more interesting and entertaining, I’m buying a DA40 TDI. I’ll be keeping up my COPA membership, though. [:)]

15

Imagine another one of your big investments, like your home, had an owners group. Would you like everyone who had a gripe in your neighborhood foolishly complaining in public about everything they thought was wrong about the homes in your neighborhood? What would that do to your home values?

If you ask me, I am surprised they let non-owners see the gripes for only $50. One of Mooney’s bankruptcies (many years ago) was very much helped along by bad press from an owners group that got out of control. By all means, join a group before you buy, new or used. Even if the plane is perfect, if the owners are all whiners, you don’t want to join them in an investment.

I have seen owners go nuts and get crazy over fairly minor issues. Also, I have seen manufacturers treat owners REALLY badly. Either way, keeping most of it “in the family” is usually best for all involved.

Lastly, a door is not likely to hit the tail when it departs. Either door is most likely to miss the tail on the starboard side due to the prop wash. It is possible for the door to hit the tail though, so certainly reduce speed and land the plane at the closest field. Just don’t freak out and crash over it (which happens more than it should).

16

In reply to:

2500 or so owners aren’t at all scared.
In reply to:
The minute someone mentions any problems they are having everyone jumps on them about not being a member and discussing it on the other side.
People that consider spending many hundreds of thousands of dollars agree. It’s better to spend $50 to get a good understanding of the material. BTW, Consumer Reports, Aviation Consumer, Flying, Plane & Pilot also charge as do most wothwhile professional newsletters.
In reply to:
Seems that everyone is trying to squelch anything bad about the aircraft.
You gotta be kiddin’. On the members side we are bitching all the time about the problems with our aircraft.
In reply to:
Most folks are not going to join the COPA board until after they have purchased a Cirrus.
Boy, are you wrong. Personally, as a professional, I don’t do anything of value without doing “due dilligence”. Don’t even think about buying any aircraft without being a member of their forum first. Also, test fly the plane before you put down a deposit. It’s all part of “due dilligence”.
In reply to:
Yet the way this thing is setup, you can’t access much detail until after you join.
That’s because about 2100 of us are trying to keep a secret from you.
In reply to:
Seem backwards to me.
Some pilots learn from their mistakes
Smart pilots learn from others mistakes.
Sometimes, it’s a good idea to ask others with more experience before making the final decision.

17

I am in the market right now for a Cirrus but do not plan on joining until I buy one.In the meantime. Does anyone know the cost of the 600 hr parachute check and the 500 hr mag check or replacement? Thanking you in advance.

Hopefull Cirrus SR20 owner.

Al

18

There is no 600 hour parachute check. There is a 6 YEAR line cutter replacement that cost around $1600 but nothing required at 600 hours. The 500 hour mag advisory is not mandatory and runs a few hundred dollars depending on your individual shop labor rate.

19

Sorry, but I think not joining until buying is not the smartest thing you could do. What happens if you get on the other side and we have been keeping all of our problems hidden so we can draw in more suckers?! I would spend $50 and do more research to make sure you know what you are getting into.

20

In reply to:

I returned & landed at aerodrome thinking latch may have come lose, when I opened the door I discovered that the hinge ha din fact broken. Being a low hour private pilot I did not feel comfortable at all in flying the aircraft back to base with 3 pax on. As a result we had to drive 90min home at our expense.

As an aside, LOL when I read your post. I thought you were a Hawaiian, Down Under speaking Pidgin.

Seriously, glad to hear that you made it back safe and hopefully the rental school will work with you. Do you or any of your 3 PAX have photos of the trip or the door. Photos would add visual value to the advice you are seeking.

Did the hinge break in straight and level flight?

Good luck.