Cargo door light in cockpit would not test after cargo door was secured by ground personnel.

Attributes
ACN	180406
Time
Date	199106
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
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	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
ASRS Report	180406
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At pushback the fwd cargo door light was illuminated. I asked the mechanic to verify that the door was closed, which he did. The light subsequently extinguished, but would then not illuminate when tested. The MEL says that the flight may proceed provided that the door is verified closed and locked by a mechanic, which it was. However, there is an asterisk with fine print at the bottom which states that the item must be placarded with an mco, which was overlooked. The form says, 'use your best judgement,' which I did to determine that the flight was safe to operate. An entry was made in the aircraft log book.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARGO DOOR LIGHT IN COCKPIT WOULD NOT TEST AFTER CARGO DOOR WAS SECURED BY GND PERSONNEL.

Narrative: AT PUSHBACK THE FWD CARGO DOOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. I ASKED THE MECH TO VERIFY THAT THE DOOR WAS CLOSED, WHICH HE DID. THE LIGHT SUBSEQUENTLY EXTINGUISHED, BUT WOULD THEN NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN TESTED. THE MEL SAYS THAT THE FLT MAY PROCEED PROVIDED THAT THE DOOR IS VERIFIED CLOSED AND LOCKED BY A MECH, WHICH IT WAS. HOWEVER, THERE IS AN ASTERISK WITH FINE PRINT AT THE BOTTOM WHICH STATES THAT THE ITEM MUST BE PLACARDED WITH AN MCO, WHICH WAS OVERLOOKED. THE FORM SAYS, 'USE YOUR BEST JUDGEMENT,' WHICH I DID TO DETERMINE THAT THE FLT WAS SAFE TO OPERATE. AN ENTRY WAS MADE IN THE ACFT LOG BOOK.

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.