Air carrier large transport returns to landing due galley strap hanging out door.

Attributes
ACN	138210
Time
Date	199002
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ozr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : dfw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	138210
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 flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Just prior to leveling at 10000' after takeoff from dfw en route to tpa, an F/a reported the safety strap on the left mid-galley door was extending outside the aircraft. The captain directed me to go back into the cabin and investigate. I went to the galley and verified that the strap was partially outside the aircraft. The extended portion was making a sound similar to a popcorn popper as it struck the side of the fuselage. Since pressurization was normal and the aircraft was in no immediate danger, I decided not to attempt to pull the strap through the door seal. Returning to the cockpit I told the captain of my findings and recommended we return to dfw. He had already come to the same conclusion and had requested vectors. Since it was a 2-M cockpit, we asked the male F/a to make a brief announcement to the passenger. A normal landing was made on runway 17L at dfw. At the gate the strap was retrieved by maintenance, all appropriate documentation was signed off and we departed once again for tpa. I suspect the strap was left out by a catering truck driver which have been servicing that galley just prior to the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT RETURNS TO LNDG DUE GALLEY STRAP HANGING OUT DOOR.

Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO LEVELING AT 10000' AFTER TKOF FROM DFW ENRTE TO TPA, AN F/A RPTED THE SAFETY STRAP ON THE LEFT MID-GALLEY DOOR WAS EXTENDING OUTSIDE THE ACFT. THE CAPT DIRECTED ME TO GO BACK INTO THE CABIN AND INVESTIGATE. I WENT TO THE GALLEY AND VERIFIED THAT THE STRAP WAS PARTIALLY OUTSIDE THE ACFT. THE EXTENDED PORTION WAS MAKING A SOUND SIMILAR TO A POPCORN POPPER AS IT STRUCK THE SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. SINCE PRESSURIZATION WAS NORMAL AND THE ACFT WAS IN NO IMMEDIATE DANGER, I DECIDED NOT TO ATTEMPT TO PULL THE STRAP THROUGH THE DOOR SEAL. RETURNING TO THE COCKPIT I TOLD THE CAPT OF MY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDED WE RETURN TO DFW. HE HAD ALREADY COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION AND HAD REQUESTED VECTORS. SINCE IT WAS A 2-M COCKPIT, WE ASKED THE MALE F/A TO MAKE A BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX. A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE ON RWY 17L AT DFW. AT THE GATE THE STRAP WAS RETRIEVED BY MAINT, ALL APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION WAS SIGNED OFF AND WE DEPARTED ONCE AGAIN FOR TPA. I SUSPECT THE STRAP WAS LEFT OUT BY A CATERING TRUCK DRIVER WHICH HAVE BEEN SERVICING THAT GALLEY JUST PRIOR TO THE FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.