Narrative:

On jul/xx/95, I had a trip from republic airport to atlantic city in a piper navajo. I loaded 6 passenger and my copilot closed and latched the cabin door extinguishing the cabin door light. After takeoff on climb out, I heard a popping sound, the cabin door light came on, and the passenger yelled up to me that the cabin door was open. I turned around and noticed that the door was not completely opened but the rear passenger was pulling on the door. I told ATC that we had a company discrepancy that we needed to take care of and needed to return to republic airport. We were #1 for the ILS. Our approach and landing was uneventful. After deplaning the passenger the rear passenger had a cut on his hand which I told him I would tend to but he refused any medical attention. 30 mins later I was questioned by the FAA at the terminal on my actions, of what happened, why didn't I declare an emergency, or why I didn't want the trucks on the runway. They also said that the rear passenger complained of being hurt and that I did not tend to him which is false. Some passenger told the FAA that I departed with the cabin door light on which is also false. I believe the cabin door was properly closed and latched but the latch might have been worn causing it to crack open. I believe a routine check by maintenance of the door might prevent this from happening again. As far as the flight in general, I followed company procedures, took corrective action, and landed without any undue delay.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. CABIN DOOR OPENED INFLT.

Narrative: ON JUL/XX/95, I HAD A TRIP FROM REPUBLIC ARPT TO ATLANTIC CITY IN A PIPER NAVAJO. I LOADED 6 PAX AND MY COPLT CLOSED AND LATCHED THE CABIN DOOR EXTINGUISHING THE CABIN DOOR LIGHT. AFTER TKOF ON CLBOUT, I HEARD A POPPING SOUND, THE CABIN DOOR LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE PAX YELLED UP TO ME THAT THE CABIN DOOR WAS OPEN. I TURNED AROUND AND NOTICED THAT THE DOOR WAS NOT COMPLETELY OPENED BUT THE REAR PAX WAS PULLING ON THE DOOR. I TOLD ATC THAT WE HAD A COMPANY DISCREPANCY THAT WE NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF AND NEEDED TO RETURN TO REPUBLIC ARPT. WE WERE #1 FOR THE ILS. OUR APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. AFTER DEPLANING THE PAX THE REAR PAX HAD A CUT ON HIS HAND WHICH I TOLD HIM I WOULD TEND TO BUT HE REFUSED ANY MEDICAL ATTN. 30 MINS LATER I WAS QUESTIONED BY THE FAA AT THE TERMINAL ON MY ACTIONS, OF WHAT HAPPENED, WHY DIDN'T I DECLARE AN EMER, OR WHY I DIDN'T WANT THE TRUCKS ON THE RWY. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE REAR PAX COMPLAINED OF BEING HURT AND THAT I DID NOT TEND TO HIM WHICH IS FALSE. SOME PAX TOLD THE FAA THAT I DEPARTED WITH THE CABIN DOOR LIGHT ON WHICH IS ALSO FALSE. I BELIEVE THE CABIN DOOR WAS PROPERLY CLOSED AND LATCHED BUT THE LATCH MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORN CAUSING IT TO CRACK OPEN. I BELIEVE A ROUTINE CHK BY MAINT OF THE DOOR MIGHT PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. AS FAR AS THE FLT IN GENERAL, I FOLLOWED COMPANY PROCS, TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION, AND LANDED WITHOUT ANY UNDUE DELAY.

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.