On January 20, 2000, a Cessna 310Q (registration N310GG) was involved in an aviation accident near Spring Branch, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff. A factor was the open cabin door. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot aborted takeoff after the cabin door opened at 82 knots. The aircraft skidded off the runway and the nose gear collapsed upon hitting a ditch.
What happened
During the takeoff roll, the pilot reported that the cabin door unexpectedly opened while the aircraft was accelerating to approximately 82 knots. Recognizing the situation, the pilot attempted to secure the door but was unable to close it. Consequently, the decision was made to abort the takeoff with roughly 200 yards of runway remaining.
As the airplane decelerated, it skidded off the departure end of the runway. The aircraft then impacted a ditch, resulting in the collapse of the nose gear.