What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Got to the airplane late due to previous ATC delays. I called soc to extend our block a little, which they did. Still felt a sense of urgency because we needed to add oil, foreflight wasn’t computing weight and balance so we had to manually compute it, there is a lot of contents in the lesson, and a lot of planes were down for maintenance, so I wanted to be sure to be back on time for the next crew. We did everything else as normal. We pulled into the run up area to do the before takeoff checklist to the line and below the line. I did not verify annunciations before takeoff. I usually visually check the rear door prior to takeoff, but I did not this time. There have been times I did not in the past as well. During takeoff everything seemed fine. During departure we were told to turn. I cannot remember if I heard the door open or the annunciation first. Again, I cannot verify that the annunciation was off during the takeoff roll. I checked the front canopy it was latched. I then looked at the rear door and it was slightly unlatch, but it was still hanging on somehow. I should have just left it, but I reached back and tried to hold onto it which caused it to unlatch even further. I lost the grip and the door fell off. I then told ATC we need to stay in the pattern. I stayed in the pattern. Shortly after I declared an emergency and landed. I held onto the door for about 20 seconds, unsure of the altitude probably between 500-1000FT
As the FAA filed it
GOT TO THE AIRPLANE LATE DUE TO PREVIOUS ATC DELAYS. I CALLED SOC TO EXTEND OUR BLOCK A LITTLE, WHICH THEY DID. STILL FELT A SENSE OF URGENCY BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO ADD OIL, FOREFLIGHT WASN’T COMPUTING WEIGHT AND BALANCE SO WE HAD TO MANUALLY COMPUTE IT, THERE IS A LOT OF CONTENTS IN THE LESSON, AND A LOT OF PLANES WERE DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE, SO I WANTED TO BE SURE TO BE BACK ON TIME FOR THE NEXT CREW. WE DID EVERYTHING ELSE AS NORMAL. WE PULLED INTO THE RUN UP AREA TO DO THE BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST TO THE LINE AND BELOW THE LINE. I DID NOT VERIFY ANNUNCIATIONS BEFORE TAKEOFF. I USUALLY VISUALLY CHECK THE REAR DOOR PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, BUT I DID NOT THIS TIME. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES I DID NOT IN THE PAST AS WELL. DURING TAKEOFF EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. DURING DEPARTURE WE WERE TOLD TO TURN. I CANNOT REMEMBER IF I HEARD THE DOOR OPEN OR THE ANNUNCIATION FIRST. AGAIN, I CANNOT VERIFY THAT THE ANNUNCIATION WAS OFF DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. I CHECKED THE FRONT CANOPY IT WAS LATCHED. I THEN LOOKED AT THE REAR DOOR AND IT WAS SLIGHTLY UNLATCH, BUT IT WAS STILL HANGING ON SOMEHOW. I SHOULD HAVE JUST LEFT IT, BUT I REACHED BACK AND TRIED TO HOLD ONTO IT WHICH CAUSED IT TO UNLATCH EVEN FURTHER. I LOST THE GRIP AND THE DOOR FELL OFF. I THEN TOLD ATC WE NEED TO STAY IN THE PATTERN. I STAYED IN THE PATTERN. SHORTLY AFTER I DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED. I HELD ONTO THE DOOR FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS, UNSURE OF THE ALTITUDE PROBABLY BETWEEN 500-1000FT
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