Air carrier crew misreads caution light. Return land. No new release, no logbook entry.

Attributes
ACN	181079
Time
Date	199106
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : las
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	181079
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 3510 flight time type : 540
ASRS Report	181158
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a taxi out on a part 121 medium large transport operation, the flight crew noticed an 'equipment' caution light. Both crew members thought the light was the 'equipment cooling' light. We referenced the checklist for an equipment cooling fan malfunction. After takeoff there was an indication of no pressurization. The problem was then accurately determined. We leveled at 7000' MSL and circled around for an uneventful landing. After taxi back to the gate the east and east compartment door was found open. The door was shut. The captain determined fuel onboard to meet dispatch requirements therefore no new release was obtained and the flight was continued. After further research/discussion we determined a new release should have been obtained and a logbook entry recorded upon arrival at destination airport. The captain contacted maintenance control to insure the situation was understood. Both the captain and the first officer, later the same day, spoke face to face with a flight manager. The situation was thoroughly examined and lessons were learned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW MISREADS CAUTION LIGHT. RETURN LAND. NO NEW RELEASE, NO LOGBOOK ENTRY.

Narrative: DURING A TAXI OUT ON A PART 121 MLG OPERATION, THE FLT CREW NOTICED AN 'EQUIP' CAUTION LIGHT. BOTH CREW MEMBERS THOUGHT THE LIGHT WAS THE 'EQUIP COOLING' LIGHT. WE REFERENCED THE CHKLIST FOR AN EQUIP COOLING FAN MALFUNCTION. AFTER TKOF THERE WAS AN INDICATION OF NO PRESSURIZATION. THE PROB WAS THEN ACCURATELY DETERMINED. WE LEVELED AT 7000' MSL AND CIRCLED AROUND FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. AFTER TAXI BACK TO THE GATE THE E AND E COMPARTMENT DOOR WAS FOUND OPEN. THE DOOR WAS SHUT. THE CAPT DETERMINED FUEL ONBOARD TO MEET DISPATCH REQUIREMENTS THEREFORE NO NEW RELEASE WAS OBTAINED AND THE FLT WAS CONTINUED. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH/DISCUSSION WE DETERMINED A NEW RELEASE SHOULD HAVE BEEN OBTAINED AND A LOGBOOK ENTRY RECORDED UPON ARR AT DEST ARPT. THE CAPT CONTACTED MAINT CTL TO INSURE THE SITUATION WAS UNDERSTOOD. BOTH THE CAPT AND THE F/O, LATER THE SAME DAY, SPOKE FACE TO FACE WITH A FLT MGR. THE SITUATION WAS THOROUGHLY EXAMINED AND LESSONS WERE LEARNED.

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.