REFLECTOR: Missing forward hatch

[Chuck Harbert]

Yesterday, when I took off, my forward hatch exited the plane just after 
lift off.  Obviously, this caused me some concern, but it soon became 
evident that the plane flew fine with a 1 sq. ft. opening in the nose. 
Fortunately, I had sealed the cabin from the nose, so I didn't have a 100 kt 
wind blowing in. I went around and landed without a problem.

I access my battery from thru this hatch and use a battery tender, so I must 
not have secured it properly when I reinstalled the hatch. I have a spring 
loaded latch similar to a door latch that keeps it secure.  I think when I 
rotated the wind came in thru the front wheel opening (RG) and put pressure 
on the bottom of the door which blew it open. The small chain that held it 
broke quickly, and the hatch went over the windshield and didn't hit the 
prop. I was glad that the chain broke because it would have beat up the 
front of the plane and possibly come into the windshield or prop in level 
flight.

>From now on I will have screws fastening it down. I'm passing this along so 
that you may learn from my experience.

Chuck H