Airplane-Door OPENS Mid-flight! How was this possible?!
Mentour Pilot・2 minutes read
A passenger opened an emergency exit door mid-flight on an Asiana Airlines flight in South Korea, leading to strong winds rushing into the cabin. Despite the incident, no major technical changes are expected as the Airbus A321 has a history of safe flights, highlighting the challenges of designing foolproof safety systems.
Insights
- The passenger on Asiana Airlines flight 8124 who opened the emergency exit door likely overcame the door's design by activating the assist system, leading to its full opening into the airstream, highlighting the importance of ensuring passengers understand the critical nature of aircraft safety features.
- Despite the rare incident on the Airbus A321 flight, the aircraft model has a long history of safe operation since 1994, emphasizing the challenge of predicting and preventing all potential human errors in complex systems, prompting a reevaluation of safety protocols and passenger education.
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Recent questions
How did the emergency exit door open mid-air?
Due to a passenger unexpectedly opening it.
What type of doors do modern aircraft have?
Plug type doors that require inward and upward movement.
What happened to the emergency slide during the incident?
It was ripped off by strong winds.
What actions did the airline take after the incident?
Temporarily kept seats in front of emergency exits empty.
What is the purpose of emergency oxygen masks on aircraft?
To provide extra oxygen at higher altitudes.
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Summary
00:00
Mid-air emergency: Passenger opens aircraft door
- On May 26, 2023, during an Asiana Airlines flight, an emergency exit door suddenly opened mid-air, causing winds of nearly 300 kilometers per hour to rush into the cabin.
- The flight, Asiana Airlines flight 8124, was a domestic flight in South Korea, lasting around 40 minutes with six crew members and 188 passengers on board.
- A passenger, a man in his early 30s, seated next to the L3 emergency exit door, opened it unexpectedly as the aircraft descended through 650 feet for landing.
- Modern aircraft doors, like those on the Airbus A321, are plug type doors that require inward and upward movement to open, and are designed to withstand high differential pressures during flight.
- The Airbus A321 doors have a parallel motion linkage system with a damper that, when armed, assists in opening the door quickly in case of an emergency evacuation.
- The passenger likely overcame the door's diff pressure by pulling the lever upwards, activating the assist system, and causing the door to open fully into the airstream.
- The emergency slide deployed outside the aircraft was ripped off by the strong winds, and the door was mechanically locked open to prevent it from closing.
- The pilots continued for a normal landing despite the door warning, and the passenger who opened the door was arrested by police upon arrival.
- South Korean officials are investigating the incident, focusing on crew procedures and technical details, with Asiana Airlines temporarily keeping seats in front of emergency exits empty.
- The final accident report will likely include recommendations, but major technical changes are not expected based on the current information available.
14:43
Aircraft Safety Systems and Oxygen Mask Functionality
- The Airbus A321 has been in service since 1994 without any similar incidents occurring during millions of safely operated flights, highlighting the challenge of designing foolproof systems to guard against all abnormal human behavior.
- The emergency oxygen masks on aircraft are designed to drop down at higher altitudes, typically around 13,000 feet, where outside pressure is low, providing extra oxygen for passengers. In the incident discussed, which occurred at 650 feet, the masks did not automatically deploy as the altitude did not necessitate additional oxygen, except for passengers directly in the airflow.
