Narrative:

Pushed back from gate the aft cargo door light was still on. Captain told safetyman on headset to check it when he stopped the push. Engines were started normally and safetyman said cargo door was closed. We still had light on so captain told him to cycle door and verify closed. Safetyman came back on and said he had cycled it and door was closed. Captain asked F/east if plane was pressurizing and he said it was. So we taxied on out for takeoff. MEL said as long as door was verified closed it was okay to continue and takeoff. Well, shortly after takeoff, F/east reported the aircraft wasn't pressurizing (cargo door light still on). We leveled off at 5000', informed departure we needed to return to sea. Approach and landing normal. At the gate, maintenance personnel found aft cargo door cracked open, not locked closed. Light worked properly. This was an large transport which has a fairing that fits over the cargo door. Man on headset apparently not too familiar with large transport and did not really check the door, only the fairing. What can I (we) do to prevent recurrence? Don't push back from the gate until all door lights are out, even though before start checklist lets you. Second, get a maintenance person out there if you have any problems. The pushback crews aren't the right people to trust and rely on for these kinds of problems. They don't have the experience or training.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT HAD TO RETURN LAND SEA BECAUSE AFT CARGO DOOR WAS NOT FULLY CLOSED AND ACFT COULD NOT BE PRESSURIZED.

Narrative: PUSHED BACK FROM GATE THE AFT CARGO DOOR LIGHT WAS STILL ON. CAPT TOLD SAFETYMAN ON HEADSET TO CHK IT WHEN HE STOPPED THE PUSH. ENGS WERE STARTED NORMALLY AND SAFETYMAN SAID CARGO DOOR WAS CLOSED. WE STILL HAD LIGHT ON SO CAPT TOLD HIM TO CYCLE DOOR AND VERIFY CLOSED. SAFETYMAN CAME BACK ON AND SAID HE HAD CYCLED IT AND DOOR WAS CLOSED. CAPT ASKED F/E IF PLANE WAS PRESSURIZING AND HE SAID IT WAS. SO WE TAXIED ON OUT FOR TKOF. MEL SAID AS LONG AS DOOR WAS VERIFIED CLOSED IT WAS OKAY TO CONTINUE AND TKOF. WELL, SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, F/E RPTED THE ACFT WASN'T PRESSURIZING (CARGO DOOR LIGHT STILL ON). WE LEVELED OFF AT 5000', INFORMED DEP WE NEEDED TO RETURN TO SEA. APCH AND LNDG NORMAL. AT THE GATE, MAINT PERSONNEL FOUND AFT CARGO DOOR CRACKED OPEN, NOT LOCKED CLOSED. LIGHT WORKED PROPERLY. THIS WAS AN LGT WHICH HAS A FAIRING THAT FITS OVER THE CARGO DOOR. MAN ON HEADSET APPARENTLY NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH LGT AND DID NOT REALLY CHK THE DOOR, ONLY THE FAIRING. WHAT CAN I (WE) DO TO PREVENT RECURRENCE? DON'T PUSH BACK FROM THE GATE UNTIL ALL DOOR LIGHTS ARE OUT, EVEN THOUGH BEFORE START CHKLIST LETS YOU. SECOND, GET A MAINT PERSON OUT THERE IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBS. THE PUSHBACK CREWS AREN'T THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO TRUST AND RELY ON FOR THESE KINDS OF PROBS. THEY DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OR TRNING.

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.