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I lost an outer gear door ("Outback" gear system with two doors...I lost
the outer large gear door that is attached to the gear leg) in flight at
only 200kts. I heard it "flapping in the wind" for a couple of seconds and
then it blew off (totally gone somewhere over central North Carolina),
causing some damage to fiberglass at rear female attachment point (that
female attachment point was ripped out of the underside of the wing at
the rear of the gear well).

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Any idea of the cause?

I've ordered another gear door from Vern at Lancair, but I would like to
know what caused the problem to occur so it does not repeat itself.

Another little mystery is that I have done a number of high speed low
approaches in same plane just below red-line without any problem with
gear door.  Why did it blow off now at only 200 knots?

(a thorough pre-flight had been performed just 18 minutes prior to losing
door...I always pre-flight gear area flat on my back on a "creeper" with
a flashlight in hand and check EVERY attachment point of gear and doors
and EVERY fastener associated with gear and doors)

Tom Harris

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Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.
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