Deadly Doors: Distractions Still Posing Threats to Pilots

Already in 2025, there have been four serious crashes in the U.S. where a door opened after takeoff.

Max Trescott

Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

So if you find yourself needing to return to the airport with an open door, if possible, fly a standard traffic pattern. [Courtesy: Max Trescott]

Key Takeaways:

Unlatched doors after takeoff are a surprisingly deadly issue for general aviation pilots, often leading to fatal crashes due to incorrect pilot reactions under panic.
In emergencies, pilots frequently attempt to return to the airport quickly by flying abnormally low and close traffic patterns, which distorts visual cues for distance and increases the risk of unrecoverable stall/spins.
To prevent these accidents, pilots should adhere to standard operating procedures and traffic patterns even in emergencies, and fundamentally, ensure all doors are properly secured before takeoff.

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A door pops open just after takeoff. It’s annoying, sure—but deadly? It shouldn’t be. Yet general aviation pilots continue to crash and die because of how they react to something as simple as an unlatched door.

In just the first few months of 2025, we’ve had four serious crashes in the U.S. where a pilot experienced a door or baggage door opening after takeoff and didn’t make it back. Three of the four crashes were fatal, and the fourth one resulted in burn injuries. So, while it’s easy to dismiss these kinds of accidents, they’re important because they continue to kill.