Page 13 - Volume 11 Number 4

A King Air cabin door with a crack in one of the Royalite panels located next to the steps, and a close-up view of the crack. This is a cosmetic flaw and has nothing to do with the airworthiness of the aircraft.
the emergency personnel had was helping the poor guy pry his fingers from around that door cable. They say 30 minutes went by before the guy could manage to let go. This is a true story! I was at BeechWest in Van Nuys when it happened and reports of the incident reverberated throughout the Beechcraft community. I’m guessing it was during the late ‘70s or early ‘80s. My recollection is that the pilot landed at San Luis Obispo, California. I have scoured the internet for mention of this incident and have come up dry, but I’m not making it up!
It just so happens that when a King Air cabin door comes open in flight, it stays at 90 degrees to the fuselage. It won’t flop all the way open as you might expect. This may have helped the co-pilot to hold on.
Is the Door Essential?
It comes as a surprise to most King Air owners, but your cabin door is not essential for flight. What I mean by this is that a King Air can take off, stay aloft and land safely with the door removed. Am I suggesting you do this? Of course not. But this speaks
APRIL 2017
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 11