Flight returned to ramp account aft airstair light on prior to takeoff. While returning stairs appea...

Attributes
ACN	110032
Time
Date	198904
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	110032
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I made a normal preflight/walkaround approximately 30 mins prior to departure. Everything was checked normal and the aft stairway was up. Pushback was normal and all checklists were accomplished. Engine start was normal except that both the captain and I noticed the right hydraulic pressure was slower than normal to come up. Taxi out was normal and checklist accomplished. At #1 position for takeoff we began the before takeoff checklist and noticed (for the first time) that the aft stairway light was illuminated. We then called tower and advised we had a door light on and had to return to the ramp. Tower cleared us down the runway, then back to the ramp. About 1/2-way down the runway tower called to say that our aft stairway appeared to be down. We had notified our ramp personnel who met us on the ramp. They checked the stairway and raised it. The light extinguished and we got a 'thumbs up.' taxi out, takeoff and flight to dfw were uneventful. I cannot say when the stairway lowered, but am absolutely certain it was up on the walkaround!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT RETURNED TO RAMP ACCOUNT AFT AIRSTAIR LIGHT ON PRIOR TO TKOF. WHILE RETURNING STAIRS APPEARED TO EXTEND.

Narrative: I MADE A NORMAL PREFLT/WALKAROUND APPROX 30 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. EVERYTHING WAS CHKED NORMAL AND THE AFT STAIRWAY WAS UP. PUSHBACK WAS NORMAL AND ALL CHKLISTS WERE ACCOMPLISHED. ENG START WAS NORMAL EXCEPT THAT BOTH THE CAPT AND I NOTICED THE RIGHT HYD PRESSURE WAS SLOWER THAN NORMAL TO COME UP. TAXI OUT WAS NORMAL AND CHKLIST ACCOMPLISHED. AT #1 POS FOR TKOF WE BEGAN THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST AND NOTICED (FOR THE FIRST TIME) THAT THE AFT STAIRWAY LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. WE THEN CALLED TWR AND ADVISED WE HAD A DOOR LIGHT ON AND HAD TO RETURN TO THE RAMP. TWR CLRED US DOWN THE RWY, THEN BACK TO THE RAMP. ABOUT 1/2-WAY DOWN THE RWY TWR CALLED TO SAY THAT OUR AFT STAIRWAY APPEARED TO BE DOWN. WE HAD NOTIFIED OUR RAMP PERSONNEL WHO MET US ON THE RAMP. THEY CHKED THE STAIRWAY AND RAISED IT. THE LIGHT EXTINGUISHED AND WE GOT A 'THUMBS UP.' TAXI OUT, TKOF AND FLT TO DFW WERE UNEVENTFUL. I CANNOT SAY WHEN THE STAIRWAY LOWERED, BUT AM ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN IT WAS UP ON THE WALKAROUND!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.

Flight returned to ramp account aft airstair light on prior to takeoff. While returning stairs appeared to extend.