Narrative:

I was conducting crew training to an individual (client) who had just completed his lancair es-P aircraft kit and needed 5 hours of training in an es to be insured. We were in the es for the required training flts. We had spent approximately 2 hours of ground and preflight prep before getting into the aircraft. After getting into the aircraft; the client closed the door which is a single clam shell type on the left side of aircraft. We talked at length about the system; and took our time with all aspects of this flight. During the run-up; I reached over to physically check that the door was closed and latched (which it was); the client engaged the door seal and we watched it inflate normally. We received clearance to take off and proceeded with a normal takeoff. Just after lifting off; the door departed the aircraft. I took control of the airplane; determined there was not enough runway to land straight ahead; called the tower and received clearance to land on a different runway which was uneventful. The door was recovered and sustained some minor damage; and the aircraft sustained minor damage as well; near one of the hinge attach points. I don't think I could have done anything different to prevent this because the client closed and latched the door; and I physically checked that it was closed and latched.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LANCAIR ES-P'S DOOR POPPED OFF JUST AFTER LIFT OFF. PLT RETURN TO LAND.

Narrative: I WAS CONDUCTING CREW TRAINING TO AN INDIVIDUAL (CLIENT) WHO HAD JUST COMPLETED HIS LANCAIR ES-P ACFT KIT AND NEEDED 5 HRS OF TRAINING IN AN ES TO BE INSURED. WE WERE IN THE ES FOR THE REQUIRED TRAINING FLTS. WE HAD SPENT APPROX 2 HRS OF GND AND PREFLT PREP BEFORE GETTING INTO THE ACFT. AFTER GETTING INTO THE ACFT; THE CLIENT CLOSED THE DOOR WHICH IS A SINGLE CLAM SHELL TYPE ON THE L SIDE OF ACFT. WE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THE SYS; AND TOOK OUR TIME WITH ALL ASPECTS OF THIS FLT. DURING THE RUN-UP; I REACHED OVER TO PHYSICALLY CHK THAT THE DOOR WAS CLOSED AND LATCHED (WHICH IT WAS); THE CLIENT ENGAGED THE DOOR SEAL AND WE WATCHED IT INFLATE NORMALLY. WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAKE OFF AND PROCEEDED WITH A NORMAL TKOF. JUST AFTER LIFTING OFF; THE DOOR DEPARTED THE ACFT. I TOOK CTL OF THE AIRPLANE; DETERMINED THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH RWY TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD; CALLED THE TWR AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO LAND ON A DIFFERENT RWY WHICH WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE DOOR WAS RECOVERED AND SUSTAINED SOME MINOR DAMAGE; AND THE ACFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AS WELL; NEAR ONE OF THE HINGE ATTACH POINTS. I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENT TO PREVENT THIS BECAUSE THE CLIENT CLOSED AND LATCHED THE DOOR; AND I PHYSICALLY CHKED THAT IT WAS CLOSED AND LATCHED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.