What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 6/3/00 about 0719 PDT, amooney M20FN9207V, during takeoff from Cable Airport, Upland, CA., veered to the left off the runway and came to rest in a ditch. The airplane which was owned and operated by the pilot was substantially damaged. The private pilot was not injured. The three passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight operating under 14 CFR part 91 of the FAR. The flight was destined for las vegas, Nevada, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that during takeoff, immediately after liftoff, the cabin door popped open. The cabin door opening startled the passenger in the right seat who panicked. The pilot stated that while he was attempting to deal with the panicked passenger he momentarily lost directional control allowing the a/c to drift off the runway to the left. (.4) on June 3, 2000, at 0719 hours pacific daylight time, a Mooney M20F, N9207V, was substantially damaged when it veered off the runway and came to rest in a ditch during takeoff at Cable Airport, Upland, California. The personal flight, operated by the owner under 14 CFR part 91, was destined for jean, Nevada. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were not injured. One other passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that the cabin door came open during takeoff on runway 24 (3,865 feet long x 75 feet wide). He intended to continue the takeoff and return to land and close the door; however, the passenger in the right front seat distracted him. In the time necessary to calm and reassure the passenger, the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft and it drifted off the runway to the left. The aviation surface weather observation at the ontario, California, airport (6 miles southeast of Cable) was reporting calm wind conditions.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 6/3/00 ABOUT 0719 PDT, AMOONEY M20FN9207V, DURING TAKEOFF FROM CABLE AIRPORT, UPLAND, CA., VEERED TO THE LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST IN A DITCH. THE AIRPLANE WHICH WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE THREE PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 OF THE FAR. THE FLIGHT WAS DESTINED FOR LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE CABIN DOOR POPPED OPEN. THE CABIN DOOR OPENING STARTLED THE PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT SEAT WHO PANICKED. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO DEAL WITH THE PANICKED PASSENGER HE MOMENTARILY LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ALLOWING THE A/C TO DRIFT OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT. (.4) ON JUNE 3, 2000, AT 0719 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A MOONEY M20F, N9207V, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST IN A DITCH DURING TAKEOFF AT CABLE AIRPORT, UPLAND, CALIFORNIA. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, OPERATED BY THE OWNER UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, WAS DESTINED FOR JEAN, NEVADA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. ONE OTHER PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE CABIN DOOR CAME OPEN DURING TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 24 (3,865 FEET LONG X 75 FEET WIDE). HE INTENDED TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF AND RETURN TO LAND AND CLOSE THE DOOR; HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT DISTRACTED HIM. IN THE TIME NECESSARY TO CALM AND REASSURE THE PASSENGER, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IT DRIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT. THE AVIATION SURFACE WEATHER OBSERVATION AT THE ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT (6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CABLE) WAS REPORTING CALM WIND CONDITIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.