What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot report---during preflight there were no evident issues with the door or latch system. The passenger latched the rear door and I visually checked that it was latched. While taxiing to runway 17R we did not receive any door open notifications. After takeoff, I turned left crosswind to head back to auburn and was altitude restricted below 2,500 feet. At approximately 2,200 feet and 100 knots the rear passenger/cargo door detached from the airplane. The ppl was in the right seat, and he told norcal that we were returning to Sacramento (ksmf).
Passenger statement located at the rear door---i was picked up at ksmf by the pilot in command of the aircraft. I loaded my bags into the aircraft and took a seat in the rear seat on the pilot side. After entering, I closed the door. I did not observe anything abnormal with the door at that time.
The engine was started, and we taxied and departed normally. I did not hear any door warning annunciations, alerts, or abnormal sounds during engine start, taxi, or takeoff.
Shortly after takeoff, while turning crosswind, the rear pilot-side door separated from the aircraft. I did not observe any latch in the open position prior to the separation and did not notice any abnormal indications before the event.
Upon the door separating, the pilot immediately initiated a turn to re-enter the traffic pattern. We entered the downwind and completed a normal landing without further incident.
A report was also issued to the aircraft manufacturer about this incident.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT REPORT---DURING PREFLIGHT THERE WERE NO EVIDENT ISSUES WITH THE DOOR OR LATCH SYSTEM. THE PASSENGER LATCHED THE REAR DOOR AND I VISUALLY CHECKED THAT IT WAS LATCHED. WHILE TAXIING TO RUNWAY 17R WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY DOOR OPEN NOTIFICATIONS. AFTER TAKEOFF, I TURNED LEFT CROSSWIND TO HEAD BACK TO AUBURN AND WAS ALTITUDE RESTRICTED BELOW 2,500 FEET. AT APPROXIMATELY 2,200 FEET AND 100 KNOTS THE REAR PASSENGER/CARGO DOOR DETACHED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE PPL WAS IN THE RIGHT SEAT, AND HE TOLD NORCAL THAT WE WERE RETURNING TO SACRAMENTO (KSMF).
PASSENGER STATEMENT LOCATED AT THE REAR DOOR---I WAS PICKED UP AT KSMF BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE AIRCRAFT. I LOADED MY BAGS INTO THE AIRCRAFT AND TOOK A SEAT IN THE REAR SEAT ON THE PILOT SIDE. AFTER ENTERING, I CLOSED THE DOOR. I DID NOT OBSERVE ANYTHING ABNORMAL WITH THE DOOR AT THAT TIME.
THE ENGINE WAS STARTED, AND WE TAXIED AND DEPARTED NORMALLY. I DID NOT HEAR ANY DOOR WARNING ANNUNCIATIONS, ALERTS, OR ABNORMAL SOUNDS DURING ENGINE START, TAXI, OR TAKEOFF.
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE TURNING CROSSWIND, THE REAR PILOT-SIDE DOOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. I DID NOT OBSERVE ANY LATCH IN THE OPEN POSITION PRIOR TO THE SEPARATION AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY ABNORMAL INDICATIONS BEFORE THE EVENT.
UPON THE DOOR SEPARATING, THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A TURN TO RE-ENTER THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. WE ENTERED THE DOWNWIND AND COMPLETED A NORMAL LANDING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
A REPORT WAS ALSO ISSUED TO THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER ABOUT THIS INCIDENT.