A cabin door unlatches on climbout at St. Augustine, and the return to land turns tight
It's Monday, March 25, 2024, a little before noon at St. Augustine (SGJ). You're cleared for takeoff on runway 13 in a turbocharged Mooney M20K, bound for Homestead. VMC — broken at 4,700, 10 miles, light easterly wind.
Less than a minute after liftoff, the main cabin door on the right side pops open. Air noise fills the cabin.
You tell the tower the door popped open and you need to return. Cleared to enter downwind for runway 13. Asked if you need assistance, you answer: “Just want to land and close the door.”
You're low and turning back toward the field, the door hanging open, the wind roaring through the gap beside you.
The door popped open on climbout. You're in the pattern to return. How do you fly it?