Emergency landing checklist

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Boatguy
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Emergency landing checklist

Post by Boatguy »

Most emergency landing checklists advise unlatching the doors to facilitate exit after the landing in the event the doors might become jammed and prevent egress. Neither the DA40 or DA62 checklists include that step.

The only reason I could think of is that perhaps the canopy / doors make a contribution to the integrity of the airframe so if unlatched they would reduce the integrity of the airframe and perhaps allow more deformation increasing the risk of injurty to the occupants. But hey, I'm guessing!

Does anybody know why they don't recommend unlatching the canopy or doors?
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Steve
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Re: Emergency landing checklist

Post by Steve »

Not sure about the structural integrity component. One possible reason is that in a typical metal airframe, a jammed hatch would seal you in with no alternative exit route (maybe cargo hatch?). In the -40, even if the canopy and hatch were jammed (as in an accident where you come to rest inverted), you have the emergency rear hatch release. The other possibility is to use a canopy breaker, which wouldn’t necessarily work against a smaller, thicker windshield in a metal airframe.
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Re: Emergency landing checklist

Post by CFIDave »

The difference is that the vast majority of aircraft are made of aluminum, and the structure of the aircraft is expected to deform as it absorbs impact forces in a crash -- potentially jamming exit doors shut.

In contrast, composite aircraft structures fracture or break rather than deform. So a Diamond door or canopy is far less likely to jam after impact.
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Boatguy
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Re: Emergency landing checklist

Post by Boatguy »

CFIDave wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 6:33 pm The difference is that the vast majority of aircraft are made of aluminum, and the structure of the aircraft is expected to deform as it absorbs impact forces in a crash -- potentially jamming exit doors shut.

In contrast, composite aircraft structures fracture or break rather than deform. So a Diamond door or canopy is far less likely to jam after impact.
Got it!

Is there any harm in unlatching the canopy? For example, post crash the pilot could be incapacitated and the person in the copilot seat would have to reach around the unconscious pilot to unlatch the canopy.
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Rich
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Re: Emergency landing checklist

Post by Rich »

Boatguy wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 6:42 pm
CFIDave wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 6:33 pm The difference is that the vast majority of aircraft are made of aluminum, and the structure of the aircraft is expected to deform as it absorbs impact forces in a crash -- potentially jamming exit doors shut.

In contrast, composite aircraft structures fracture or break rather than deform. So a Diamond door or canopy is far less likely to jam after impact.
Got it!

Is there any harm in unlatching the canopy? For example, post crash the pilot could be incapacitated and the person in the copilot seat would have to reach around the unconscious pilot to unlatch the canopy.
I've given some thought to this in the past and haven't reached a real conclusion. Having the canopy flapping up and down whilst my personal parts might also be so flopping seems like a bad idea. Also the canopy is fairly strongly attached to the firewall and could help reduce intrusion of various stuff coming rearward.
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Re: Emergency landing checklist

Post by dant »

I believe the back canopy emergency latch releases the door pretty thoroughly so I don't worry about jams that much, and I'd prefer to be in a secure bubble during crashes.
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photoSteveZ
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Re: Emergency landing checklist

Post by photoSteveZ »

For the DA62 I would guess that it's not advisable to unlatch the door(s) so as to avoid the chance the door(s) might depart the aircraft and perhaps take out the horizontal stabilizer, turning a survivable emergency landing into a LOC fatal accident.
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Re: Emergency landing checklist

Post by NDCDA62 »

I would most definitely keep the doors closed and maintain the monocoque structural integrity throughout.
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Re: Emergency landing checklist

Post by dmloftus »

The DA40-180 AFM does not mention anything about opening the canopy, but the official DA40-180 Garmin G1000 .ace checklist on the Diamond website lists the following for EMERGENCY Procedures SMOKE and FIRE - ENGINE FIRE IN FLIGHT:

Canopy UNLATCH as necessary

Diamond checklist URL: https://www.diamondaircraft.com/en/serv ... hecklists/

Interesting mismatch between the AFM checklist and the electronic checklist. I suppose if there is excessive smoke in the cabin that could potentially overcome the pilot (even after fully opening vents and windows), it's probably better to sacrifice some cabin crash integrity to make sure you're still conscious to make the emergency landing. Cabin crash integrity doesn't count for much if you're already dead from smoke inhalation on the way down.
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Re: Emergency landing checklist

Post by Rich »

From my copy of the DA40 AFM:

In case of extreme smoke development, the front canopy may be unlatched during flight. This allows it to partially open, in order to improve ventilation. The canopy will remain open in this position. Flight characteristics will not be affected significantly.
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