Narrative:

Took off in archer for pleasure flight. Had not flown type in approximately 3 yrs except approximately 1 hour 1 month prior. I had latched overhead latch but did not confirm. On takeoff cold breeze felt. Wife (non-pilot in left seat) noted gap at top of door. Continued climb out and level off, headed southeast (original direction) at approximately 2500 ft MSL. Once level, tried pulling top of door shut without success. Then opened main latch with the idea of pulling door shut. Big mistake. Entire door had gap of 0.5 to 1 inch around frame. Cockpit was loud, windy and cold. Could not get door shut at all, not even main latch. Tried slip with no effect. Wife was crying and of little help. Called svs tower and asked for return to land so I could shut door properly. I received prompt handling from tower controller, though I often had to ask him to repeat even though I was wearing headphones, cockpit was so loud. Would not have been able to hear anything without headset. Self analysis -- mistakes -- not verifying top latch actually closed. Not returning for landing immediately after takeoff to fix problem appropriately. Opening main door latch. Not having wife get out pilot operations handbook to check for recommended procedure. Positives: always using headsets. Not panicking. I tried to make sure flying the airplane came first.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TOOK OFF WITH OVERHEAD LATCH NOT SECURE. TRIED TO SECURE INFLT BY OPENING MAIN LATCH TO PULL IT CLOSED. THAT MADE MATTERS WORSE. RPTR RECEIVED PROMPT HANDLING FROM TWR TO RETURN AND LAND.

Narrative: TOOK OFF IN ARCHER FOR PLEASURE FLT. HAD NOT FLOWN TYPE IN APPROX 3 YRS EXCEPT APPROX 1 HR 1 MONTH PRIOR. I HAD LATCHED OVERHEAD LATCH BUT DID NOT CONFIRM. ON TKOF COLD BREEZE FELT. WIFE (NON-PLT IN L SEAT) NOTED GAP AT TOP OF DOOR. CONTINUED CLBOUT AND LEVEL OFF, HEADED SE (ORIGINAL DIRECTION) AT APPROX 2500 FT MSL. ONCE LEVEL, TRIED PULLING TOP OF DOOR SHUT WITHOUT SUCCESS. THEN OPENED MAIN LATCH WITH THE IDEA OF PULLING DOOR SHUT. BIG MISTAKE. ENTIRE DOOR HAD GAP OF 0.5 TO 1 INCH AROUND FRAME. COCKPIT WAS LOUD, WINDY AND COLD. COULD NOT GET DOOR SHUT AT ALL, NOT EVEN MAIN LATCH. TRIED SLIP WITH NO EFFECT. WIFE WAS CRYING AND OF LITTLE HELP. CALLED SVS TWR AND ASKED FOR RETURN TO LAND SO I COULD SHUT DOOR PROPERLY. I RECEIVED PROMPT HANDLING FROM TWR CTLR, THOUGH I OFTEN HAD TO ASK HIM TO REPEAT EVEN THOUGH I WAS WEARING HEADPHONES, COCKPIT WAS SO LOUD. WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR ANYTHING WITHOUT HEADSET. SELF ANALYSIS -- MISTAKES -- NOT VERIFYING TOP LATCH ACTUALLY CLOSED. NOT RETURNING FOR LNDG IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF TO FIX PROB APPROPRIATELY. OPENING MAIN DOOR LATCH. NOT HAVING WIFE GET OUT PLT OPS HANDBOOK TO CHK FOR RECOMMENDED PROC. POSITIVES: ALWAYS USING HEADSETS. NOT PANICKING. I TRIED TO MAKE SURE FLYING THE AIRPLANE CAME FIRST.

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.