An medium large transport air carrier aircraft took off with a cargo door open. The crew had no indi...

Attributes
ACN	209855
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tower : buf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : buf
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9800 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	209855
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After takeoff, we experienced pressurization problems. Initially the cabin was climbing rapidly. I checked both packs were on the position of the cabin pressure controller, I believe I locked it, and selected full forward. At this time, the captain checked the annunciator panel 'press to test light' and all door lights checked ok. All were off after the test indicating all doors closed and all circuits checked ok which was not true. The captain decided to wait till we leveled at 10000 ft to further troubleshoot the system. At 10000 ft we accomplished the appropriate procedure. We advised ATC we would like to proceed to phl at 10000 ft. At 10000 ft we had a cabin altitude of 8500 to 8800 approximately 0.25 psi. We had limited control of the cabin. Based on the fuel load of 19500 pounds which gave us 6000 pounds extra fuel and the good WX in phl. We elected to continue to phl. We advised phl 50 mi out that we had experienced pressurization problems. After an uneventful landing in phl, we were informed that a cargo door had been found open on arrival. Subsequently maintenance in phl found a defective aft cargo door light switch. The light tested properly but did not illuminate with the door open as it should. I believe maintenance should be required to operationally check this switch by visually opening and closing the door while someone observes the proper light illumination maybe once a month. Whoever marshalls aircraft off the gate, should be required to check the position of all doors and door handles prior to wave off.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG ACR ACFT TOOK OFF WITH A CARGO DOOR OPEN. THE CREW HAD NO INDICATION OF THIS. THEY REVISED THEIR CLRNC TO A LOWER ALT AND CONTINUED ON TO THEIR DEST WITHOUT DAMAGE OR INJURY.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, WE EXPERIENCED PRESSURIZATION PROBLEMS. INITIALLY THE CABIN WAS CLBING RAPIDLY. I CHKED BOTH PACKS WERE ON THE POS OF THE CABIN PRESSURE CTLR, I BELIEVE I LOCKED IT, AND SELECTED FULL FORWARD. AT THIS TIME, THE CAPT CHKED THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL 'PRESS TO TEST LIGHT' AND ALL DOOR LIGHTS CHKED OK. ALL WERE OFF AFTER THE TEST INDICATING ALL DOORS CLOSED AND ALL CIRCUITS CHKED OK WHICH WAS NOT TRUE. THE CAPT DECIDED TO WAIT TILL WE LEVELED AT 10000 FT TO FURTHER TROUBLESHOOT THE SYS. AT 10000 FT WE ACCOMPLISHED THE APPROPRIATE PROC. WE ADVISED ATC WE WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED TO PHL AT 10000 FT. AT 10000 FT WE HAD A CABIN ALT OF 8500 TO 8800 APPROX 0.25 PSI. WE HAD LIMITED CTL OF THE CABIN. BASED ON THE FUEL LOAD OF 19500 POUNDS WHICH GAVE US 6000 POUNDS EXTRA FUEL AND THE GOOD WX IN PHL. WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO PHL. WE ADVISED PHL 50 MI OUT THAT WE HAD EXPERIENCED PRESSURIZATION PROBLEMS. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG IN PHL, WE WERE INFORMED THAT A CARGO DOOR HAD BEEN FOUND OPEN ON ARR. SUBSEQUENTLY MAINT IN PHL FOUND A DEFECTIVE AFT CARGO DOOR LIGHT SWITCH. THE LIGHT TESTED PROPERLY BUT DID NOT ILLUMINATE WITH THE DOOR OPEN AS IT SHOULD. I BELIEVE MAINT SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO OPERATIONALLY CHK THIS SWITCH BY VISUALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE DOOR WHILE SOMEONE OBSERVES THE PROPER LIGHT ILLUMINATION MAYBE ONCE A MONTH. WHOEVER MARSHALLS ACFT OFF THE GATE, SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO CHK THE POS OF ALL DOORS AND DOOR HANDLES PRIOR TO WAVE OFF.

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.

An medium large transport air carrier aircraft took off with a cargo door open. The crew had no indication of this. They revised their clearance to a lower altitude and continued on to their destination without damage or injury.