Factual Information
On Thursday, 6 October 2005, at 14:00 local time, a Piper PA-34-200 Seneca I, registration EC-IHT, operated by Airmed, was conducting a local training flight from Valencia Airport. The flight was the final stage of a multi-engine commercial pilot course, with a flight instructor and a student on board. During takeoff on runway 12, after reaching decision speed (V1) and rotation speed (Vr), the forward baggage door, located on the left side of the nose, opened and detached, striking the aircraft in the area of the left engine.
The instructor decided to continue the flight, as the remaining runway length was insufficient for a safe stop. She reduced engine power slightly and considered it necessary to return for an immediate landing. She contacted the tower and was authorized to continue in the circuit and land immediately. The landing on runway 12 was uneventful.
Damage
The detached door was not recovered. The carbon fiber door had torn a few centimeters from its hinge, located at the top of the opening. The door frame showed no apparent damage. The left propeller had two deep notches on one blade, 6 cm from the tip, and a tear on the leading edge of the other blade. These propeller damages required removal and inspection of the left engine. The left wing showed an impact mark without penetration. The left cabin window had a scratch without cracking. The rudder had a superficial mark.
Preflight Inspection
Before the flight, the crew performed a preflight inspection as per the flight manual checklist. The instructor recalled checking the forward baggage door by pulling on its edges and confirming it appeared closed. The door has a bottom handle that rotates only, and next to it is a key lock. The operator and crew did not have the key for this door; the key was held by the aircraft owner, different from the operator. The crew did not remember turning the handle during checks, and they assumed the compartment was empty of baggage.
Airworthiness Directive
The aircraft was subject to Airworthiness Directive (AD) 88-04-05, amendment 39-5848, issued 16 February 1988, to prevent the door from opening in flight. Compliance records showed incomplete and contradictory entries. The AD required visual inspection, repair, and modification of the door and latch mechanism per Piper Service Bulletin (SB) No. 872 from 1987. SB No. 872 states: "The key must rotate through an arc of 90° between its locked and fully open position. If the key can be removed from the lock in any position other than fully closed, the lock and key must be replaced."