What happened
On April 27, 2008, a Mooney M20J, registration N4513H, departed from runway 31 at an airport in Howell, Michigan. The runway was concrete, measuring 5,002 feet by 100 feet. After the takeoff, the pilot attempted to turn the aircraft back toward the airport. During this maneuver, the aircraft's baggage door opened. The aircraft subsequently stalled and struck the terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane, including a bent left wing. There were no fatalities and one minor injury reported.
Findings
Investigation of the event determined that the aircraft experienced an inadvertent stall and low airspeed during the maneuver to return to the departure airport. This occurred following the opening of the baggage door in flight. The pilot's attention was also diverted by the opening of the baggage door.