A MOONEY 20-G HAS TO RETURN LAND AT HYA BECAUSE OF AN OPEN BAGGAGE DOOR THAT HAD OPENED ON TKOF. TWR CLRS TFC OFF ILS FOR MOONEY TO LAND RWY 23.

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HYA WAS IFR WITH A 700 FT SCATTERED TO BROKEN LAYER AND 3 MI VISIBILITY IN MIST. AS I ROTATED FOR TKOF; I NOTICED NOISE AND BREEZE IN COCKPIT. I TURNED TO SEE THE BAGGAGE DOOR HAD OPENED. THIS OCCURRED AS TWR AUTH FREQ CHANGE TO DEP FREQ AND R TURN TO 270 DEGS. I MADE L TURN INTO THE PATTERN AT 500-600 FT; AND CALLED TWR. THEY SIMULTANEOUSLY INQUIRED OF MY INTENTIONS. I INFORMED THEM OF OPEN DOOR AND REQUESTED LNDG ON RWY 23. TWR TURNED INBOUND FLT OFF OF ILS AND CLRED ME SVFR; CLRED TO LAND. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER; BUT TWR RESPONDED PROMPTLY; CLRED INCOMING TFC; AND ALLOWED ME TO LAND WITHOUT INCIDENT. HOWEVER; LOW CLOUDS REQUIRED ME TO FLY THE PATTERN AT APPROX 500 FT TO REMAIN VISUAL; A PROBABLE FAR VIOLATION. I HANDLED OPEN DOOR PROB APPROPRIATELY DUE TO THE MANY ARTICLES I HAVE READ ABOUT SUCH PROBS; WHICH ADVISED TO RELAX AND FLY THE PLANE. I WAS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE LNDG; AND TWR WAS HELPFUL BY PROMPTLY CLRING THE ILS. (ALSO HAD TO SHUT DOWN ENGS ON TXWY TO SECURE DOOR; WHICH APPEARED TO ANNOY GND.) I THANK THE CTLR FOR RESPONDING SO PROFESSIONALLY AND ASSISTING ME TO DO MY JOB.