Takeoff aborted when baggage compartment hatch comes open in the nose area of an small transport.

Attributes
ACN	243901
Time
Date	199306
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdk
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 10
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pdk
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	243901
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The airplane that I was flying is a twin small transport. I noticed that my oxygen needed service and my service point is in the nose baggage compartment. I requested maintenance to service it. When I was preflting the airplane, which I had been flying for 4 hours previously, I failed to check the latches properly. However, it wasn't noticeable to me they were improperly latched. In other words, the mechanic closed the cargo door but didn't latch it properly. On takeoff, just as I rotated and broke ground, the cargo door in front of the pilot's window blew open. I hadn't gotten the gear up yet so my natural instinct was to pull the throttles to idle and abort the takeoff. This I did and could not stop the airplane on the remaining runway. The total length was 6000 ft. The plane came to rest in the sod at the end. No airplane damage was incurred. I taxied back to the ramp, inspected for damaged, talked to the maintenance supervisor and departed later on. I feel that I made the proper judgement in the arena of my training. However, there is no reference in the pilot's handbook about what should be done for a nose compartment opening on takeoff or in-flight. I think there should be. Also, during the certification process, the FAA may consider making it a requirement for there to be a cockpit warning of an unsafe condition of a baggage door.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TKOF ABORTED WHEN BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT HATCH COMES OPEN IN THE NOSE AREA OF AN SMT.

Narrative: THE AIRPLANE THAT I WAS FLYING IS A TWIN SMT. I NOTICED THAT MY OXYGEN NEEDED SVC AND MY SVC POINT IS IN THE NOSE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. I REQUESTED MAINT TO SVC IT. WHEN I WAS PREFLTING THE AIRPLANE, WHICH I HAD BEEN FLYING FOR 4 HRS PREVIOUSLY, I FAILED TO CHK THE LATCHES PROPERLY. HOWEVER, IT WASN'T NOTICEABLE TO ME THEY WERE IMPROPERLY LATCHED. IN OTHER WORDS, THE MECH CLOSED THE CARGO DOOR BUT DIDN'T LATCH IT PROPERLY. ON TKOF, JUST AS I ROTATED AND BROKE GND, THE CARGO DOOR IN FRONT OF THE PLT'S WINDOW BLEW OPEN. I HADN'T GOTTEN THE GEAR UP YET SO MY NATURAL INSTINCT WAS TO PULL THE THROTTLES TO IDLE AND ABORT THE TKOF. THIS I DID AND COULD NOT STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE REMAINING RWY. THE TOTAL LENGTH WAS 6000 FT. THE PLANE CAME TO REST IN THE SOD AT THE END. NO AIRPLANE DAMAGE WAS INCURRED. I TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP, INSPECTED FOR DAMAGED, TALKED TO THE MAINT SUPVR AND DEPARTED LATER ON. I FEEL THAT I MADE THE PROPER JUDGEMENT IN THE ARENA OF MY TRAINING. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO REF IN THE PLT'S HANDBOOK ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE DONE FOR A NOSE COMPARTMENT OPENING ON TKOF OR INFLT. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE. ALSO, DURING THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS, THE FAA MAY CONSIDER MAKING IT A REQUIREMENT FOR THERE TO BE A COCKPIT WARNING OF AN UNSAFE CONDITION OF A BAGGAGE DOOR.

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.