Widebody transport cargo aircraft has cargo door light illuminate after takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	286479
Time
Date	199410
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hkg
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : hkg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	286479
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During preflight, a 'MEL' item, aft cargo door, was discussed by crew and maintenance. The activator was weak and required manual cranking (2 turns) to flush door and handle. This agreed with MEL and external preflight. Confirmed (through viewing ports) that overlocks were in place and overctr. Shortly after takeoff 'cargo door-aft' illuminated. Aircraft was still unpressurized (which is normal) and was left unpressurized. Cockpit operated manual references -- do not pressurize, which of course required return to department airport (hkg). Takeoff weight 713000 pounds, maximum landing 630000 pounds, so dumping of fuel was commenced at 8000 ft MSL with hkg department concurrence. Landing normal. Maintenance that night replaced the 'aft-cargo door' actuator and all closed switches. The next morning's flight event without a hitch. Expensive lesson on fixing things right the first time. Aircraft was overnight with 15 hours time to fix original problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB CARGO ACFT HAS CARGO DOOR LIGHT ILLUMINATE AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT, A 'MEL' ITEM, AFT CARGO DOOR, WAS DISCUSSED BY CREW AND MAINT. THE ACTIVATOR WAS WEAK AND REQUIRED MANUAL CRANKING (2 TURNS) TO FLUSH DOOR AND HANDLE. THIS AGREED WITH MEL AND EXTERNAL PREFLT. CONFIRMED (THROUGH VIEWING PORTS) THAT OVERLOCKS WERE IN PLACE AND OVERCTR. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF 'CARGO DOOR-AFT' ILLUMINATED. ACFT WAS STILL UNPRESSURIZED (WHICH IS NORMAL) AND WAS LEFT UNPRESSURIZED. COCKPIT OPERATED MANUAL REFERENCES -- DO NOT PRESSURIZE, WHICH OF COURSE REQUIRED RETURN TO DEPT ARPT (HKG). TKOF WT 713000 LBS, MAX LNDG 630000 LBS, SO DUMPING OF FUEL WAS COMMENCED AT 8000 FT MSL WITH HKG DEPT CONCURRENCE. LNDG NORMAL. MAINT THAT NIGHT REPLACED THE 'AFT-CARGO DOOR' ACTUATOR AND ALL CLOSED SWITCHES. THE NEXT MORNING'S FLT EVENT WITHOUT A HITCH. EXPENSIVE LESSON ON FIXING THINGS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. ACFT WAS OVERNIGHT WITH 15 HRS TIME TO FIX ORIGINAL PROB.

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.