Aircraft equipment problem -- entry door unlocked in flight.

Attributes
ACN	297159
Time
Date	199502
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oma
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	297159
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other

Narrative:

We had trouble closing the main cabin door prior to pushback. Agent assisted from outside closing the outer handle. During climb out passenger door red message illuminated. We ran the emergency checklist for the door warning. I decided to return to oma for landing. I checked door alignment pins during descent and found that they were severely out of alignment. Flight attendant later reported that she had failed to check the pins prior to securing the door. Contributing factor -- not asking attendant to check pins when initial problem arose.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB -- ENTRY DOOR UNLOCKED IN FLT.

Narrative: WE HAD TROUBLE CLOSING THE MAIN CABIN DOOR PRIOR TO PUSHBACK. AGENT ASSISTED FROM OUTSIDE CLOSING THE OUTER HANDLE. DURING CLBOUT PAX DOOR RED MESSAGE ILLUMINATED. WE RAN THE EMER CHKLIST FOR THE DOOR WARNING. I DECIDED TO RETURN TO OMA FOR LNDG. I CHKED DOOR ALIGNMENT PINS DURING DSCNT AND FOUND THAT THEY WERE SEVERELY OUT OF ALIGNMENT. FLT ATTENDANT LATER RPTED THAT SHE HAD FAILED TO CHK THE PINS PRIOR TO SECURING THE DOOR. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR -- NOT ASKING ATTENDANT TO CHK PINS WHEN INITIAL PROB AROSE.

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.