DHL B752 at Leipzig on Feb 13th 2021, cargo door opened in flight
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DHL B752 at Leipzig on Feb 13th 2021, cargo door opened in flight
10-year-old PCF conversion. It will be interesting to see if the Door Indication System was operative or MEL'd.
Departure was during darkness, as might be expected for DHL's operation.
Departure was during darkness, as might be expected for DHL's operation.
The early B747s had a design deficiency in the cargo door locking mechanism, as this involved a PCF conversion of a more modern type, that shouldn’t have been an issue. Due to the door being located on the upper fuselage, at least the engine on that side wasn’t affected.
Human factors come into question, with the return landing being at 05:47 local the crew, both flight and ground, may have been on duty all night or had a circadian low reporting time.
Human factors come into question, with the return landing being at 05:47 local the crew, both flight and ground, may have been on duty all night or had a circadian low reporting time.
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To quote from the report.......
Germany's BFU confirmed a cargo door apparently opened in flight and dispatched investigators on site. The BFU reported nobody was injured and no freight was ejected from the aircraft. An investigation has been opened.
Thats amazing, I never knew DHL carried investigators in the belly’s. Now that’s German efficiency for you!!!
And considering the turmoil that certain other G reg cargo carriers are enduring due to Brexit, how is a G reg doing point to point in Europe?
Germany's BFU confirmed a cargo door apparently opened in flight and dispatched investigators on site. The BFU reported nobody was injured and no freight was ejected from the aircraft. An investigation has been opened.
Thats amazing, I never knew DHL carried investigators in the belly’s. Now that’s German efficiency for you!!!
And considering the turmoil that certain other G reg cargo carriers are enduring due to Brexit, how is a G reg doing point to point in Europe?
DR, do you know who did the conversion?
I could be wrong, but I don't recall Boeing doing a 757 P2F conversion so I'm guessing this was an independent STC.
I could be wrong, but I don't recall Boeing doing a 757 P2F conversion so I'm guessing this was an independent STC.
Precision Conversions ST01529SE, this example embodied by Flightstar at Jacksonville/Cecil.
As of 2018, 109 conversions completed by various MROs.
As of 2018, 109 conversions completed by various MROs.
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I think he means because of the night shift, but both flight crew and ground crew are used to the night operation and were already on night duty for a few days and were "acclimatised" as it is called.
Both Door indicating system and ground crew confirmed a locked main cargo door. The crew did a good job!
Lets see what the investigation will bring out.
Both Door indicating system and ground crew confirmed a locked main cargo door. The crew did a good job!
Lets see what the investigation will bring out.
I’ve done night freight before, believe me you still get tired. However if the door was closed correctly then the company who performed the conversion could be looking at a recall and possible grounding of all the aircraft they worked on.
With the investigators on-site, the report shouldn’t take long.
With the investigators on-site, the report shouldn’t take long.
As far as I know we have had more problems with the main cargo door on the Boeing built 757 freighters than the conversions. But then again, the factory built freighters are older.
Hard to see from the photos so far, but if the door was forced open with the locks in place, I would expect to see at least some damage to the door frame caused by the shoot bolts.
If there is any, it's not obvious.
If there is any, it's not obvious.
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Indeed...but the the dc9 where it opened and stayed attached.. crashed. Extremely dangerous situation which could go either way I guess; full ∆P and it ain't going to be pretty! Interesting comments on avherald, especially re possible ice or snow in the latches/mechanism or v cold temps. I was always Captain Paranoia with the door, (and ULD load positions, which saved my skin once) - not helped by the latch windows being far from clear (not 757).
Last edited by de fumo in flammam; 14th Feb 2021 at 21:44.
Would anyone be able to post a plot of their flight-path? It would be interesting to gauge the time they had available to turn back and have opposite direction runway prepared for them.