A cabin door pops open just after takeoff. It’s noisy, surprising—but the aircraft is still flying just fine. So why are general aviation pilots still crashing and dying in these scenarios? In this episode, Max explores the unsettling trend of fatal accidents caused not by mechanical failure, but by how pilots react to in-flight distractions—specifically, an open cabin or baggage door.
)
In just the first five months of 2025, four U.S. GA crashes involved doors opening shortly after takeoff. Three were fatal; the fourth resulted in serious burn injuries.
Max walks through each accident in detail, including the tragic crashes of a Beech Baron in Colorado, a Vans RV-10 in California, a Beech A36TC in Pennsylvania, and a Piper Saratoga in Florida. In all cases, the door opening startled the pilot, who either tried to immediately return at low altitude or became distracted from flying. The result: stalls, spins, or uncontrolled impacts—none of which were caused by the open door itself.
Drawing from FAA guidance, NTSB investigations, and personal experience with over two dozen open-door incidents, Max explains exactly how pilots should handle this situation. The key? Don’t panic. Don’t try to fix the problem in the air. Fly the airplane, climb to pattern altitude, and land normally.
You’ll also learn about door designs that are more prone to issues—like gull-wing doors on RV-10s and Columbias, or rear doors on Diamonds—and the importance of educating passengers on how to respond. The episode also includes real-world listener stories, POH comparisons across different aircraft, and a review of FAA training materials that stress proper task management in abnormal situations.
Max reminds pilots that an open door is not an emergency—it’s a test of focus. If mishandled, it can become a fatal distraction. But with the right knowledge and discipline, it should be a non-event.
This episode is a must-listen for every GA pilot—because distractions happen, and it’s how we respond that makes the difference.
If you're getting value from this show, please support the show) via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or Patreon.
Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk. Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset $1199) Lightspeed Zulu 3 Headset $899)Lightspeed Sierra Headset $699) My Review on the Lightspeed Delta Zulu)
Send us your feedback or comments via email)
If you have a question you’d like answered on the show, let listeners hear you ask the question, by recording your listener question) using your phone.
News Stories
- FAA is discontinuing some Charting Products)
- Garmin Reinvents Procedural Charts with SmartCharts)
- Sporty’s introduces new CFI Test Prep Course)
- Tornado Levels Much Of London, Kentucky Airport)
- GAMA Numbers All Positive for the First Quarter of 2025)
- Pilot regrets flying after pressured by boss)
- Student pilot emergency landing sentenced to 30 months )
Mentioned on the Show Buy Max Trescott's G3000 Book) Call 800-247-6553 Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset Giveaway) Video of the Week: Garmin AutoLand in SR22/G7) Aeronautical Chart Users’ Guide) FLYING Magazine: Flying the Margins) FLYING Magazine: What Happens When Autopilots Fail?) NTSB News Talk Podcast) UAV News Talk Podcast) Rotary Wing Show Podcast)
Free Index to the first 282 episodes of Aviation New Talk)
So You Want To Learn to Fly or Buy a Cirrus seminars Online Version of the Seminar Coming Soon – Register for Notification)
Check out our recommended ADS-B receivers, and order one for yourself). Yes, we’ll make a couple of dollars if you do.
Get the Free Aviation News Talk app for iOS) or Android).
Check out Max’s Online Courses: G1000 VFR, G1000 IFR, and Flying WAAS & GPS Approaches. Find them all at: https://www.pilotlearning.com/)
Social Media Like Aviation News Talk podcast on Facebook) Follow Max on Instagram) Follow Max on Twitter) Listen to all Aviation News Talk podcasts on YouTube or YouTube Premium)
"Go Around" song used by permission of Ken Dravis; you can buy his music at kendravis.com)
If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.
