LAX02LA206

During an aborted takeoff due to an open door, the airplane impacted a dirt berm at the departure end of the runway. While conducting touch-and-go takeoffs and landings, the student pilot's door popped open. The student retarded the throttles and applied brakes. The CFI assessed the situation, and decided that they could not safely continue the takeoff due to low airspeed and no remaining runway. She then assisted the student with directional control and braking action. The airplane departed the runway and collided with a dirt berm. There were no discrepancies noted with the airplane by the CFI or student pilot.

On June 13, 2002, about 1143 mountain standard time, a Beech BE76, N6627U, impacted a dirt berm at the departure end of runway 21R after aborting a touch-and-go takeoff at the Ernest A. Love Field Airport (PRC), Prescott, Arizona. The airplane, operated by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as an instructional flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area instructional flight, and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at PRC about 1000 the morning of the accident.

The purpose of the flight was to practice maneuvers, and touch-and-go takeoffs and landings.

According to the CFI's written statement, on the third touch-and-go takeoff the student's door popped open shortly before reaching the departure end of the runway. She noted the airspeed was 65 knots. The student retarded the throttles and engaged the brakes to abort the takeoff. The CFI stated that due to insufficient airspeed and runway, she was unable to reverse the student's decision to abort the takeoff. She then assisted with directional control and braking.

The student's written statement indicated that there were no problems noted with the first two landings. However, he did note that each time the airplane accelerated it was "slow in building speed." On the third landing, the student stated that the airplane landed hard and bounced. He retracted the flaps, and applied full power. The student noted that the airspeed was slow to build and that the "airspeed indicator seemed stuck at 60 but then jumped to 71 [knots]."

As the student started to apply back pressure for takeoff, his door popped open. He immediately "cut" the power to idle and engaged the brakes. The student reported about halfway from the runway to the dirt he felt his CFI "stomp" on the brakes and try to maneuver them around the turn to taxiway A1. The student felt they were going to fast to make the turn and turned the airplane back to a straight heading. Once the airplane stopped they shut everything down and exited the airplane.