Narrative:

After starting engines, I elected to clear the gate area before completing the after start checklist. I did this as a courtesy to a commuter flight that was boarding next us that didn't have the benefit of a jetway. By the time I asked for remainder of the checklist, I had established the aircraft on the taxiway with a clearance from ground control. It was at this time that I noticed that our aft cargo door light was illuminated. I notified ground that we would like to stop on the taxiway and company personnel came out to secure the door. Fortunately, no items in the aft cargo bin fell out during the short taxi. While the practice of exiting the gate area before completing the entire after-start checklist is perhaps all too common, I set myself up for a problem by stretching the limits of proper checklist procedure. The fact that our 'door lights and locks' callout is the last item on the after-start checklist greatly exaggerated the time factor involved in this situation. I might add that approximately 45 seconds elapsed before the door situation was noticed. In the future, I will take the extra 20 seconds to complete the after-start checklist instead of trying to accommodate the gate agents. Those quick 20 seconds are not worth the potential of scattering luggage all over the txwys and the resulting embarrassment! Lesson learned: don't push the checklist beyond its limits.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT FAILED TO COMPLETE THE AFTER ENG START CHKLIST RESULTING IN TAXI OF THE ACFT WITH A CARGO DOOR OPEN.

Narrative: AFTER STARTING ENGS, I ELECTED TO CLR THE GATE AREA BEFORE COMPLETING THE AFTER START CHKLIST. I DID THIS AS A COURTESY TO A COMMUTER FLT THAT WAS BOARDING NEXT US THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF A JETWAY. BY THE TIME I ASKED FOR REMAINDER OF THE CHKLIST, I HAD ESTABLISHED THE ACFT ON THE TXWY WITH A CLRNC FROM GND CTL. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT I NOTICED THAT OUR AFT CARGO DOOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. I NOTIFIED GND THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO STOP ON THE TXWY AND COMPANY PERSONNEL CAME OUT TO SECURE THE DOOR. FORTUNATELY, NO ITEMS IN THE AFT CARGO BIN FELL OUT DURING THE SHORT TAXI. WHILE THE PRACTICE OF EXITING THE GATE AREA BEFORE COMPLETING THE ENTIRE AFTER-START CHKLIST IS PERHAPS ALL TOO COMMON, I SET MYSELF UP FOR A PROB BY STRETCHING THE LIMITS OF PROPER CHKLIST PROC. THE FACT THAT OUR 'DOOR LIGHTS AND LOCKS' CALLOUT IS THE LAST ITEM ON THE AFTER-START CHKLIST GREATLY EXAGGERATED THE TIME FACTOR INVOLVED IN THIS SIT. I MIGHT ADD THAT APPROX 45 SECONDS ELAPSED BEFORE THE DOOR SIT WAS NOTICED. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL TAKE THE EXTRA 20 SECONDS TO COMPLETE THE AFTER-START CHKLIST INSTEAD OF TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THE GATE AGENTS. THOSE QUICK 20 SECONDS ARE NOT WORTH THE POTENTIAL OF SCATTERING LUGGAGE ALL OVER THE TXWYS AND THE RESULTING EMBARRASSMENT! LESSON LEARNED: DON'T PUSH THE CHKLIST BEYOND ITS LIMITS.

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.