Narrative:

I taxied to runway 21 at intersection F; and contacted spokane tower. The wind was approximately 250 degrees at 20 KTS gusting to 30 KTS. After receiving takeoff clearance; I rolled onto the runway and began my takeoff. Just before or during liftoff the door warning light came on. I touched down and stopped while advising tower of the situation. I taxied off at intersection C; and got permission to get out and close the door. At this point I thought that I had forgotten to latch the door. (When I preflted the aircraft; I unlatched the door to let the freight handlers know that it was unlocked; but did not open it since the wind was so strong. All of the freight got loaded in the pod; and the door was never opened. Because of this I reasoned that I had not latched the door again before departing.) I closed the door; got back in and got clearance to taxi back to intersection east for departure. (Intersection east is approximately 1/3 of the way down runway 21; while taxiway C is approximately 2/3 of the way down the runway.) I again received takeoff clearance; took off; and at about 50 ft AGL the light came on again. I looked over my left shoulder along the inside of the empty cabin; and I could see that the door was open about 6 inches. I lowered full flaps per the cessna checklist to keep the door closed; and advised the tower. I elected to continue around the pattern rather than land on the far end of runway 21 and risk having the cargo door damaged by blowing open as I turned broadside to the wind while taxiing off of the runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CESSNA C208 PLT HAS CABIN DOOR OPEN DURING TKOF.

Narrative: I TAXIED TO RWY 21 AT INTXN F; AND CONTACTED SPOKANE TWR. THE WIND WAS APPROX 250 DEGS AT 20 KTS GUSTING TO 30 KTS. AFTER RECEIVING TKOF CLRNC; I ROLLED ONTO THE RWY AND BEGAN MY TKOF. JUST BEFORE OR DURING LIFTOFF THE DOOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. I TOUCHED DOWN AND STOPPED WHILE ADVISING TWR OF THE SITUATION. I TAXIED OFF AT INTXN C; AND GOT PERMISSION TO GET OUT AND CLOSE THE DOOR. AT THIS POINT I THOUGHT THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN TO LATCH THE DOOR. (WHEN I PREFLTED THE ACFT; I UNLATCHED THE DOOR TO LET THE FREIGHT HANDLERS KNOW THAT IT WAS UNLOCKED; BUT DID NOT OPEN IT SINCE THE WIND WAS SO STRONG. ALL OF THE FREIGHT GOT LOADED IN THE POD; AND THE DOOR WAS NEVER OPENED. BECAUSE OF THIS I REASONED THAT I HAD NOT LATCHED THE DOOR AGAIN BEFORE DEPARTING.) I CLOSED THE DOOR; GOT BACK IN AND GOT CLRNC TO TAXI BACK TO INTXN E FOR DEP. (INTXN E IS APPROX 1/3 OF THE WAY DOWN RWY 21; WHILE TXWY C IS APPROX 2/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RWY.) I AGAIN RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC; TOOK OFF; AND AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I LOOKED OVER MY L SHOULDER ALONG THE INSIDE OF THE EMPTY CABIN; AND I COULD SEE THAT THE DOOR WAS OPEN ABOUT 6 INCHES. I LOWERED FULL FLAPS PER THE CESSNA CHKLIST TO KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED; AND ADVISED THE TWR. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE AROUND THE PATTERN RATHER THAN LAND ON THE FAR END OF RWY 21 AND RISK HAVING THE CARGO DOOR DAMAGED BY BLOWING OPEN AS I TURNED BROADSIDE TO THE WIND WHILE TAXIING OFF OF THE RWY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.