Im a little shocked.
It doesnt seem correct that someone with that amount of experience would freak to that extent about his door opening in flight. I understand that he'd be concerned about not being able to see his load with it open and would feel the need to pickle it, but the report doesnt seem to jibe with my intuition. Everyone who flies a teeter-totter should be well aware of the nasty side effects of unloading it like that.
I've had both my door and an aft pax-door open in flight and its a non-event (in 206B3 that is). I did however wind up cracking my little slide window when I was pulling it the door closed with my left hand; that sucked. Ever since mine opened on me I began briefing pax about not freaking about it if it happened. One day a woman snagged something on the twist latch, it opened and she just told me and I landed. I know she was unusal, and most pax might be a lot more squeamish and might let out a scream, but I think the briefing really helps them understand that nothings going to happen to them. ( I also never allow any pesky small kids to sit anywhere but supervised in the aft center seat for this reason).
It just seems like something more must have contributed to him getting into a mast-bumping situation.