Alaska Passengers Assist as Co-Pilot Wrestles Door Shut

The rear door of a commuter plane popped open 4,000 feet over western Alaska, but the co-pilot closed it, lying on his belly while two passengers held onto his legs, officials said Monday.

The twin-engine Beechcraft 99 was not pressurized, so there was no risk of the co-pilot, Harry Lacy of Anchorage, being sucked out of the aircraft, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Paul Steucke said.

“It’s a very unusual incident,” he said. “It would have meant a lot of wind turbulence at 100 knots, but there was no real pressure vacuum.”

Steucke said that Lacy was able to shut the door by pulling on its support cables.

“He lay down flat on the floor across the open door while two passengers strapped in their seats held on to him as he pulled the door closed,” Steucke said.