‘It was bloody scary’: passenger’s shock as door opens mid-flight

PASSENGERS on a flight to Auckland were left horrified when a plane door opened during rough weather.

The door on the light aircraft opened en route to Auckland. (File image). Picture: iStock

PASSENGERS on a flight to Auckland were left horrified when a plane door gaped open while they were flying through rough weather.

The Barrier Air flight was travelling from Kaitaia in New Zealand’s far north to Auckland with six passengers and a pilot on board on Tuesday afternoon when a door on the small twin engine plane suddenly opened.

Passenger James Snowden told New Zealand’s ONE News he noticed the crew had trouble closing the door before the plane took off from Kaitaia, ahead of a scheduled stop in Whangarei.

“I could see a slightly concerned look on (a crew member’s) face, but (he) shut it anyway and had no problems even though it was a bit bumpy to Whangarei,” he said.

The plane landed in Whangarei where once passenger got off, ONE News reported.

The pilot then reportedly told the passengers he needed to close the door from Mr Snowden’s seat at the back of the plane.

“I asked, ‘Are you sure that door is shut?’ due to my earlier concerns in Kaitaia. He said, ‘No problem’,” Mr Snowden said.

A close-up of the door that opened during the Barrier Air flight.

He said the flight continued “without a hitch, apart from it was very bumpy”.

But it then ran into trouble as the flight drew closer to Auckland.

“We must have been over Whangaparaoa when a whole lot of air started coming from the door and it got very loud,” Mr Snowden said.

“I said ‘oi’ to the pilot as it got louder, he said ‘It was to release pressure’, but it was an unpressurised plane.”

The plane then circled Auckland Airport three times before landing safely.

Mr Snowden said the pilot went out to the wing of the plane “breathing very deeply” and mentioned the plane’s door had been recently repaired.

“There was nothing more mentioned, no explanation or apology,” Mr Snowden said.

“After having time to think, if that door had opened fully it would have torn the tail off with me in it. It was bloody scary.”

Another passenger on the flight told ONE News the door had opened midair, but praised the pilot for successfully handling the plane under tough conditions.

“Not fully (open) but enough to cause concern,” the passenger said.

“I would also say the pilot did a great job and the weather was fairly rough.”