Diamond DA40 passenger door opened during takeoff roll. Pilot rejected takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	756898
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft Low Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 126 flight time type : 126
ASRS Report	756898
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Cargo/passenger door opening during takeoff roll due to failure of door latch system. Door was closed and latched prior to takeoff. Takeoff safely aborted at 52 mph prior to rollout. No passenger in rear seats. Pilot; and pilot/CFI; on board. Door damaged during opening during takeoff roll. Technical assistance contacted. Door repaired by mechanics as recommended by technical assistance. Door not structural component of aircraft per technical assistance. Flight continued without incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the door is a clamshell type door. The latching mechanism drives pins fore and aft into the door frame. When open; the handles protrude inside and out by approximately 3 inches. A secondary latch is also incorporated into the door; similar to the secondary hood latch on a car. The fwd hinge and the door were damaged when the door opened on the reporter's aircraft. The reporter is certain that the door was closed prior to takeoff; but is not convinced; in retrospect; that the door handles were confirmed to be secured. When the manufacturer was later contacted; it was discovered that a chronic problem does exist with the door. It may be relatively easy to overlook an unlatched or partially latched door; particularly when the back seats are unoccupied. If the door is not properly secured; aerodynamics will pull the door open.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DIAMOND DA40 PAX DOOR OPENED DURING TKOF ROLL. PLT REJECTED TKOF.

Narrative: CARGO/PAX DOOR OPENING DURING TKOF ROLL DUE TO FAILURE OF DOOR LATCH SYS. DOOR WAS CLOSED AND LATCHED PRIOR TO TKOF. TKOF SAFELY ABORTED AT 52 MPH PRIOR TO ROLLOUT. NO PAX IN REAR SEATS. PLT; AND PLT/CFI; ON BOARD. DOOR DAMAGED DURING OPENING DURING TKOF ROLL. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CONTACTED. DOOR REPAIRED BY MECHS AS RECOMMENDED BY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. DOOR NOT STRUCTURAL COMPONENT OF ACFT PER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT THE DOOR IS A CLAMSHELL TYPE DOOR. THE LATCHING MECHANISM DRIVES PINS FORE AND AFT INTO THE DOOR FRAME. WHEN OPEN; THE HANDLES PROTRUDE INSIDE AND OUT BY APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES. A SECONDARY LATCH IS ALSO INCORPORATED INTO THE DOOR; SIMILAR TO THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH ON A CAR. THE FWD HINGE AND THE DOOR WERE DAMAGED WHEN THE DOOR OPENED ON THE REPORTER'S ACFT. THE REPORTER IS CERTAIN THAT THE DOOR WAS CLOSED PRIOR TO TKOF; BUT IS NOT CONVINCED; IN RETROSPECT; THAT THE DOOR HANDLES WERE CONFIRMED TO BE SECURED. WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WAS LATER CONTACTED; IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A CHRONIC PROBLEM DOES EXIST WITH THE DOOR. IT MAY BE RELATIVELY EASY TO OVERLOOK AN UNLATCHED OR PARTIALLY LATCHED DOOR; PARTICULARLY WHEN THE BACK SEATS ARE UNOCCUPIED. IF THE DOOR IS NOT PROPERLY SECURED; AERODYNAMICS WILL PULL THE DOOR OPEN.

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.