Cargo Door Access Panels and Ground Power Panels

[shon7]

As far as I am aware there is not indication in the cockpit (A330, B757, B747, B737, A320) if the Cargo Door Access Panels or the Ground Power Panels are left open.

With the design I would assume that the force of the wind upon takeoff would automatically shut these.

Any cases where this has not happened? Do you feel vibrations or are they negligble?

[None]

Next time you are looking closely...

It is easy to determine which panels come off regularly on the fleet I fly. I simply note which access panels are normally shiny-new. Typically, it is on the left side of the engine pylon...a circular plate about 6 inches in diameter.
You are correct, shon7, that the panels you describe are designed to withstand flight when their fastening is incomplete. I would not notice vibration on the controls. I am able to feel a very small vibration when the APU inlet door is open.

[PNH2ATL]

I used to fly an MD-88 and there was a vibration as we accelerated but it only lasted about 10 or 15 knots.

[FearlessFreep]

The most interesting panel NOT closed story I have heard was on a DHC-7. A friend of mine that was ferrying the aircraft out on PHNL was having problems transferring and using the fuel system on the aircraft and they had to return to point of origin. Turns out that an ex-Hawaiian Air mechanic (they used to operate DHC-7's) walked to the right hand side of the tail area of the aircraft, un-latched the ground refuel control panel cover and reclosed it. There is a microswitch located on the panel that changes the configuration of the fuel system to allow for refueling. When the panel was originally closed the alignment was just slightly off and the switch did not get activated. After that re-closing the panel they were good to go!

Since the crew was just ferrying the aircraft and it had been a while since the type-rated captain flew them regularly it might have been a small over-sight in procedures. I don't know if there was any cockpit indications that would show if the panel was closed/open.

[Daysleeper]

A lockheed electra was destroyed in a crash caused by an airstart access door left open in 1985, the door casued so much disruption to the airflow over the tail that the severe vibration caused the crew to loose control of the aircraft. The door was subsequently redesigned.

70 killed
Airdisaster.com