Eufalconimorph
Computer
- Apr 21, 2019
- 142
Avherald said:A DHL Air Boeing 757-200 freighter, registration G-DHKZ performing freight flight QY-126 from Leipzig to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was in the initial climb out of Leipzig's runway 26L when the crew stopped the climb at about 5300 feet MSL due to the cargo door opening completely, several parts separated from the airframe and were distributed over the ground around the Schkopau coal power plant located about 10nm west of Leipzig Airport. The aircraft immediately positioned to return to Leipzig landing in opposite direction to departure. The aircraft touched down on runway 08R at 05:47L (04:47Z) about 15 minutes after departure and stopped on the runway about 1500 meters/4900 feet down the runway. The aircraft remained on the runway for about 40 minutes, then was moved to the apron. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Leipzig about 12 hours after landing back.
Germany's BFU confirmed a cargo door apparently opened in flight and dispatched investigators on site. The BFU reported nobody was injured and no freight was ejected from the aircraft. An investigation has been opened.
Not (yet) enough information to tell anything about why (or how) the cargo door opened. There *should* be indicators and warnings if the door isn't locked before takeoff, so those either failed (engineering and/or maintenance failure) or were ignored (process and human failure). Or the actual latches failed, which would be an engineering or maintenance failure. Not a good event no matter the cause.