FAA calls for testing on Boeing 757 freighter cargo doors after incidents

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recommended that all worldwide operators of certain Boeing 757-200 converted freighters carry out a series of safety checks on the main deck cargo doors of these aircraft. The calls come after an incident in 2021 where the main cargo door of a DHL-operated Boeing 757 converted freighter opened mid-flight.

In the incident in question, the aircraft failed to pressurize following a routine departure from DHL’s European hub located at Leipzig-Halle Airport (LEI) in Germany. Although the crew onboard was aware of the pressurization issue, it was only later discovered that the main deck cargo door had failed to latch correctly, leading to its uncommanded opening in flight. The aircraft involved (registered G-DHKZ) had been operating a routine domestic cargo flight to Frankfurt in Germany on February 13, 2021.     

Following the door opening at around 5,000ft (1,530m) as the aircraft climbed out, the crew elected to stop the climb and make an immediate return to Leipzig where an uneventful landing was carried out. The crew had reported to air traffic controllers of control difficulties with the autopilot engaged and they elected to manually fly the airplane and landed around 20 minutes after take-off.

The aircraft, originally delivered to now-defunct British charter carrier Inter European Airways in 1992, underwent conversion to a freighter by Precision Conversions LLC (‘Precision’) in 2011. The plane had been operated by DHL since but has since been retired. DHL subsequently confirmed that the flight had experienced “technical issues,” adding, “During the flight lightweight parts of an aircraft cargo door frame were torn off”.

Media_works / ShutterstockThe incident followed another of a similar type in 2014 when a Boeing 757 converted freighter operated by Yakutia Airlines in Russia suffered a series of main cargo door malfunctions resulting in the door not closing correctly and fully opening mid-flight on at least one occasion.

The Boeing 757 conversion process from a passenger-carrying 757 to an all-cargo variant includes the installation of the hydraulically operated main cargo door, plus mechanical latches to secure it during flight. The conversion also involves the strengthening of the main deck floor and the fitting of a specialized cargo-handling roller deck to expedite the loading and unloading of palletized cargo.  

The conversion additionally involves proximity sensors being fitted which provide signals to the flight crew to confirm that the main cargo deck door is locked and latched, and an additional warning system to alert the crew to any anomalies with the cargo door mechanism.

As reported by Aerospace Global News, following a lengthy investigation and period of consultation with operators, the FAA has now issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) to address potential safety concerns about the main cargo deck door on 757 conversions performed by Precision.

Precision Aircraft SolutionsThe voluntary recommendations outlined in the February 21, 2025, bulletin are not mandatory and contain particular servicing and testing processes for the doors, including cleaning of view-port mirrors and windows, and painting of latches and lock pins. The FAA bulletin recommends that operators perform ‘door-open’, ‘door-closed’, and ‘latched and locked’ test procedures (as detailed in the Precision manual) every 5,000 cycles.

Specifically, operators are advised to check for smudges, debris, and other contaminants on view-port mirrors and windows, and to check the latches and lock pins for any visible paint defects, carrying out the documented cleaning and painting procedures if required. Crews should also follow procedures for operating in cold weather, including the removal of snow or ice around the cargo door itself and its opening and locking mechanisms, and consider the requirement for additional inspections of these parts in freezing fog or icing conditions.

According to the Precision website, its “designed, engineered, certified, Boeing 757-200 converted freighter is a stunning success, certified by the FAA, EASA, CAAC, Brazil, Russia, and Canada and with over 120 delivered and in service around the world. Precision’s 757-200CF is the market leader with the lowest operating empty weight and the highest available payload of any 757 conversions in production today.”

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