Aircraft Cargo Door Opened During Takeoff (N804MA)

Incident Overview and Immediate Response During takeoff, a passenger seated in row 32 observed the rear cargo door open as the aircraft rotated. The passenger informed a flight attendant, who immediately relayed the information to the flight crew. The crew reported hearing and feeling bangs and airframe vibrations. They declared an emergency and returned to the airport for a landing without incident. Airport fire personnel observed the cargo door open 90 degrees, with the handle in or flush with the door, as the aircraft stopped on the runway. ## Pre-Departure Procedures and Loading The flight crew stated that the aircraft was late being repositioned to the loading area for a scheduled 0830 departure, arriving at 0800. The captain noted that the flight engineer was rushing to complete pre-departure duties. The flight engineer then performed a final walk-around, which included checking the cargo doors. At that time, no cargo door lights were illuminated on the annunciator panel. The load manifest indicated 172 passengers; 168 were already aboard, and two arrived late. Ground handlers provided a final count of 202 bags loaded in the cargo compartments before the late-arriving passengers boarded. The ground handling company stated they were confident they loaded a total of 202 bags, although 5 to 6 bags were loaded just before the aircraft departed. A post-incident bag count revealed 208 bags onboard. The ground handling company also stated they were not rushed while working the aircraft. ## Technical Findings and Operational Responsibilities Testing revealed that with the handle closed, the door would not close flush with the doorframe. The aft cargo door proximity switch was tested, and contamination was found between the contact terminals. However, investigators could not determine whether this contamination would cause an indication anomaly on the annunciator panel. Post-incident functional tests showed that the cargo door open warning light and circuit functioned normally. According to the airline's Flight Operations Manual, the flight engineer is responsible for supervising the loading of the aircraft and ensuring that all doors are properly closed and locked.