Narrative:

Shortly after becoming airborne on takeoff from runway 18 at chicago meigs, the nose compartment baggage door came open. Flight was continued around the traffic pattern to a landing back on runway 18. It is suspected that the latches (there are 2) were secured, but the baggage door had not been locked. A more thorough preflight including the locking of the baggage door would have prevented the occurrence. It should be noted that the poh does not specify to lock the baggage door to secure it, although most operators of the twins recommend to do so. Supplemental information from acn 206859: after performing the walk around inspection myself, we loaded our passenger and taxied to runway 18 at cgx. It was my leg to fly and 2 seconds after liftoff the left nose baggage door popped open and remained with the aircraft. After determining that there was not sufficient runway remaining to land on, we retracted the gear and performed the after takeoff checklist, then requested immediate return for landing and was granted such. The captain then took over the aircraft and performed a left traffic pattern for runway 18 at cgx. The before landing checklist was called for and accomplished prior to turning final. After landing the door was re- secured after being inspected by myself and the captain, and found to have no damage, and the flight was continued to grr without incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT ACFT BAGGAGE DOOR OPENED DURING THE TKOF.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE ON TKOF FROM RWY 18 AT CHICAGO MEIGS, THE NOSE COMPARTMENT BAGGAGE DOOR CAME OPEN. FLT WAS CONTINUED AROUND THE TFC PATTERN TO A LNDG BACK ON RWY 18. IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THE LATCHES (THERE ARE 2) WERE SECURED, BUT THE BAGGAGE DOOR HAD NOT BEEN LOCKED. A MORE THOROUGH PREFLT INCLUDING THE LOCKING OF THE BAGGAGE DOOR WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE OCCURRENCE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE POH DOES NOT SPECIFY TO LOCK THE BAGGAGE DOOR TO SECURE IT, ALTHOUGH MOST OPERATORS OF THE TWINS RECOMMEND TO DO SO. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 206859: AFTER PERFORMING THE WALK AROUND INSPECTION MYSELF, WE LOADED OUR PAX AND TAXIED TO RWY 18 AT CGX. IT WAS MY LEG TO FLY AND 2 SECONDS AFTER LIFTOFF THE L NOSE BAGGAGE DOOR POPPED OPEN AND REMAINED WITH THE ACFT. AFTER DETERMINING THAT THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING TO LAND ON, WE RETRACTED THE GEAR AND PERFORMED THE AFTER TKOF CHKLIST, THEN REQUESTED IMMEDIATE RETURN FOR LNDG AND WAS GRANTED SUCH. THE CAPT THEN TOOK OVER THE ACFT AND PERFORMED A L TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 18 AT CGX. THE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST WAS CALLED FOR AND ACCOMPLISHED PRIOR TO TURNING FINAL. AFTER LNDG THE DOOR WAS RE- SECURED AFTER BEING INSPECTED BY MYSELF AND THE CAPT, AND FOUND TO HAVE NO DAMAGE, AND THE FLT WAS CONTINUED TO GRR WITHOUT INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.