Asiana A321 cabin door opened in flight

[boeingboy]

Not impossible obviously - but never heard of it happening before!
Passenger allegedly opened the door on final at 650 feet.

http://avherald.com/h?article=509a6ffd&opt=0

[co-joe]

I find this one interesting because up until I saw the video of these poor schmucks getting 150 kts of wind in the face, I was under the impression that it was impossible to open an emergency exit in flight due to either differential pressure, or a safety latch of some kind, (or both). Maybe just nobody was dumb enough to touch the lever up until this day?

[porcsord]

Pure speculation on my part, as I have never flown an airbus...

I assume the emergency exits are operable as long as there isn't a pressure differential as opposed to requiring WOW or something. So, if the cabin was set to be depressurized at 500-1000 AAE, it seems plausible that it could be opened in flight at that point.

[Crewbunk]

Pure speculation on my part, as I have never flown an airbus...

I assume the emergency exits are operable as long as there isn't a pressure differential as opposed to requiring WOW or something. So, if the cabin was set to be depressurized at 500-1000 AAE, it seems plausible that it could be opened in flight at that point.

The cabin pressure controller sets a 0.1psi target at about 1000 AAE to touchdown where a depressurization schedule starts. That exit is roughly 1400 square inches, so it would take 140 pounds of force.

Possible with a good pull, I suppose. But even a minute before with say 0.3 psi, it would be very unlikely. It looks like this guy caught it at exactly the right time. Maybe he downloaded a copy of the A320 AOM?

[Pratt X 3]

Pure speculation on my part, as I have never flown an airbus...

I assume the emergency exits are operable as long as there isn't a pressure differential as opposed to requiring WOW or something. So, if the cabin was set to be depressurized at 500-1000 AAE, it seems plausible that it could be opened in flight at that point.

The cabin pressure controller sets a 0.1psi target at about 1000 AAE to touchdown where a depressurization schedule starts. That exit is roughly 1400 square inches, so it would take 140 pounds of force.

Possible with a good pull, I suppose. But even a minute before with say 0.3 psi, it would be very unlikely. It looks like this guy caught it at exactly the right time. Maybe he downloaded a copy of the A320 AOM?

I'd further the speculation that he probably had messed around with the handle prior to it actually opening and the handle wasn't fully stowed. So once the pressurization dropped to a level that the door could unseat itself, combined with the emergency opening compressed air assist system, the door fully opened.

[Eric Janson]

I find this one interesting because up until I saw the video of these poor schmucks getting 150 kts of wind in the face, I was under the impression that it was impossible to open an emergency exit in flight due to either differential pressure, or a safety latch of some kind, (or both). Maybe just nobody was dumb enough to touch the lever up until this day?

Doors/windows can be opened if the differential pressure is very low.

As they were very close to landing there would be minimal differential pressure.

If the doors are armed there is an assist system that opens the door fast - that would have helped push the door forward once the handle had been moved up.