Going through these one at a time:

• Open is being blocked and hangin as it waits to open the file (not likely)
  You're right -- this seems highly unlikely in light of the fact that the script continues and processes the next record in sequence just fine.
• Something is erasing the file after it is written.
  Maybe. It's the next angle to pursue I suppose. *grumble* I pretty well exhausted this one when I first learned of the problem... "Is the reaper functioning properly? etc."
• Something is intercepting your die messages.
  I tested the test die call and it died cleanly.

Spud Zeppelin * spud@spudzeppelin.com