A C340 PILOT HAD THE LEFT FRONT BAGGAGE DOOR COME OPEN ON TAKEOFF ROLL. HE ABORTED AND RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY.

Narrative

AS THE AIRPLANE ROTATED OFF THE GND THE L FRONT BAGGAGE DOOR CAME OPEN. I ABORTED THE TKOF. I REDUCED PWR TO IDLE AND APPLIED BRAKES MAINTAINED CTL AND RAN OFF THE RWY 9L STRAIGHT INTO THE GRASS. I ABORTED THE TKOF FOR THESE REASONS: 1) I BELIEVED I HAD ENOUGH RWY TO STOP SAFELY. 2) IF I CONTINUED THE TKOF AND THE DOOR CAME OFF IT COULD HIT THE PROP AND THEN I WOULD BE SINGLE ENG AT TKOF. 3) I MAY HAVE DAMAGED A FLT CTL SURFACE. 4) THE BAGGAGE COULD HAVE FALLEN OUT AND INJURED SOMEONE BELOW. I PROBABLY COULD HAVE STOPPED THE PLANE ON THE RWY IF I HAD APPLIED TREMENDOUS BRAKING BUT MY SPD WAS SLOW ENOUGH THAT I COULD SEE AND AVOID ANY OBSTACLES AND NOT DO ANY DAMAGE TO THE PEOPLE; ARPT OR AIRPLANE. IF I HAD APPLIED BRAKING TO STOP SHORT I COULD HAVE BLOWN OUT A TIRE AND ENDED UP SIDEWAYS AND XING THE PARALLEL RWY. THE CAUSE OF THE DOOR COMING OPEN WAS A LOOSE SCREW ON THE BACK SIDE IN THE ROTATING KEY LOCK ALLOWING THE LATCH TO ROTATE; 1 OF THE 2 SPRING LOADED LATCHES ARE WEAK AND DID NOT PREVENT THE DOOR FROM COMING OPEN. A CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE BAGGAGE DOOR LATCH AT PREFLT MAY HAVE PREVENTED THE ENTIRE SITUATION. BOTH THE SPRING LOADED AND ROTATING LATCH WILL BE REPAIRED.