Air carrier has galley door leak and returns to land. Overweight landing.

Attributes
ACN	180460
Time
Date	199106
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sju
State Reference	PR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sju
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 14000
ASRS Report	180460
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	180107
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After takeoff from sju, F/a called fwd to advise of very loud air leak around fwd galley door. I asked check engineer to go back and take a look. As soon as cockpit door was opened it was apparent that leak was bad. I checked engineer panel; we had not light to indicate door problem. At about the same time F/a called F/east, I noticed sudden cabin rate of climb. We were passing 3000'. I told departure control I would level off at 5000'. I then requested a return to sju and landed overweight approximately 20000#. I had 10000' runway and made T/D at less than 100 FPM. Brakes applied about 90 KTS. Overweight landing written up in aircraft log. Aircraft inspected per pit maintenance (done by contract maintenance). Fwd galley door inspected and found to be ok (was not closed properly by catering service). Bottom part of seal caught outside. In the process of making sure all information correct on overweight landing, the F/east failed to put in aircraft log why we returned to sju (fwd door leak). 3 of us looked at write-up (myself, check F/east and F/east) and no one noticed error. I might add that we were also trying to make sure passenger were taken care of.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS GALLEY DOOR LEAK AND RETURNS TO LAND. OVERWEIGHT LNDG.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM SJU, F/A CALLED FWD TO ADVISE OF VERY LOUD AIR LEAK AROUND FWD GALLEY DOOR. I ASKED CHK ENGINEER TO GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK. AS SOON AS COCKPIT DOOR WAS OPENED IT WAS APPARENT THAT LEAK WAS BAD. I CHKED ENGINEER PANEL; WE HAD NOT LIGHT TO INDICATE DOOR PROB. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME F/A CALLED F/E, I NOTICED SUDDEN CABIN RATE OF CLB. WE WERE PASSING 3000'. I TOLD DEP CTL I WOULD LEVEL OFF AT 5000'. I THEN REQUESTED A RETURN TO SJU AND LANDED OVERWT APPROX 20000#. I HAD 10000' RWY AND MADE T/D AT LESS THAN 100 FPM. BRAKES APPLIED ABOUT 90 KTS. OVERWT LNDG WRITTEN UP IN ACFT LOG. ACFT INSPECTED PER PIT MAINT (DONE BY CONTRACT MAINT). FWD GALLEY DOOR INSPECTED AND FOUND TO BE OK (WAS NOT CLOSED PROPERLY BY CATERING SVC). BOTTOM PART OF SEAL CAUGHT OUTSIDE. IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING SURE ALL INFO CORRECT ON OVERWT LNDG, THE F/E FAILED TO PUT IN ACFT LOG WHY WE RETURNED TO SJU (FWD DOOR LEAK). 3 OF US LOOKED AT WRITE-UP (MYSELF, CHK F/E AND F/E) AND NO ONE NOTICED ERROR. I MIGHT ADD THAT WE WERE ALSO TRYING TO MAKE SURE PAX WERE TAKEN CARE OF.

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.