Returned for landing when door not latched.

Attributes
ACN	90767
Time
Date	198807
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lvk
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lvk
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1010 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	90767
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I took off from lvk, runway 25R, at or after XA00 with a straight out clearance. At about 400' AGL the right door opened slightly, indicating it was not latched. I told the tower I was landing and turned left crosswind for left downwind runway 25R. (ATIS information Q said that lndgs and departures were on runway 25R, presumably runway 25L was not active). The tower made 2 xmissions which I did not copy as I had to check the door, reassure my passenger, and fly the airplane. I asked the tower to stand by. On downwind I got clearance to land. On ground tower was apparently upset over the temporary lapse of communications and said I should have declared an emergency. Apparently the tower personnel is not aware that unexpected things happen sometimes which must be taken care of and have priority over communications. Also, if the tower had traffic taking off from 25L (I do not think it did as I looked, but there might have been such a situation) it would be a good idea for the ATIS to specify right traffic for runway 25R and left traffic only for runway 25L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RETURNED FOR LNDG WHEN DOOR NOT LATCHED.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM LVK, RWY 25R, AT OR AFTER XA00 WITH A STRAIGHT OUT CLRNC. AT ABOUT 400' AGL THE RIGHT DOOR OPENED SLIGHTLY, INDICATING IT WAS NOT LATCHED. I TOLD THE TWR I WAS LNDG AND TURNED LEFT XWIND FOR LEFT DOWNWIND RWY 25R. (ATIS INFO Q SAID THAT LNDGS AND DEPS WERE ON RWY 25R, PRESUMABLY RWY 25L WAS NOT ACTIVE). THE TWR MADE 2 XMISSIONS WHICH I DID NOT COPY AS I HAD TO CHECK THE DOOR, REASSURE MY PAX, AND FLY THE AIRPLANE. I ASKED THE TWR TO STAND BY. ON DOWNWIND I GOT CLRNC TO LAND. ON GND TWR WAS APPARENTLY UPSET OVER THE TEMPORARY LAPSE OF COMS AND SAID I SHOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER. APPARENTLY THE TWR PERSONNEL IS NOT AWARE THAT UNEXPECTED THINGS HAPPEN SOMETIMES WHICH MUST BE TAKEN CARE OF AND HAVE PRIORITY OVER COMS. ALSO, IF THE TWR HAD TFC TAKING OFF FROM 25L (I DO NOT THINK IT DID AS I LOOKED, BUT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SUCH A SITUATION) IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR THE ATIS TO SPECIFY RIGHT TFC FOR RWY 25R AND LEFT TFC ONLY FOR RWY 25L.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.