Open cargo door in flight.

Attributes
ACN	297255
Time
Date	199502
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hvn
State Reference	CT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15600 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	297255
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
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:

We were on a quick turn in new haven, ct, where we were dropping off passenger and picking up some more. The captain left the airplane to get the lunches for the passenger which was in the outside rear baggage compartment. While in that process, he was distraction by the disembarking passenger driving too close the aircraft, so he went to see what he wanted. Resolving that problem, he continued getting the plane ready for the next group of passenger. Our embarking passenger arrived and we were ready to leave. Right after takeoff we felt and heard a vibration and thought it was a starter/generator bearing (we've had this problem before). We decided to bring the plane back and land. After landing, it was discovered that the rear baggage door was open. We are not sure if it was open all the time or had come open in flight. In doing a post flight we found out that the warning light switch that should have told us that the door was not closed was inoperative and did not give us a door open/unlocked light. After a proper preflight and verifying that the door was closed, we continued the trip with no further problem. A proper preflight walk around probably would have prevented this from happening. Also, when the door came open, we lost our engine covers in flight. Fortunately nothing or no one was hurt or damaged on the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPEN CARGO DOOR IN FLT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A QUICK TURN IN NEW HAVEN, CT, WHERE WE WERE DROPPING OFF PAX AND PICKING UP SOME MORE. THE CAPT LEFT THE AIRPLANE TO GET THE LUNCHES FOR THE PAX WHICH WAS IN THE OUTSIDE REAR BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. WHILE IN THAT PROCESS, HE WAS DISTR BY THE DISEMBARKING PAX DRIVING TOO CLOSE THE ACFT, SO HE WENT TO SEE WHAT HE WANTED. RESOLVING THAT PROB, HE CONTINUED GETTING THE PLANE READY FOR THE NEXT GROUP OF PAX. OUR EMBARKING PAX ARRIVED AND WE WERE READY TO LEAVE. RIGHT AFTER TKOF WE FELT AND HEARD A VIBRATION AND THOUGHT IT WAS A STARTER/GENERATOR BEARING (WE'VE HAD THIS PROB BEFORE). WE DECIDED TO BRING THE PLANE BACK AND LAND. AFTER LNDG, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR BAGGAGE DOOR WAS OPEN. WE ARE NOT SURE IF IT WAS OPEN ALL THE TIME OR HAD COME OPEN IN FLT. IN DOING A POST FLT WE FOUND OUT THAT THE WARNING LIGHT SWITCH THAT SHOULD HAVE TOLD US THAT THE DOOR WAS NOT CLOSED WAS INOP AND DID NOT GIVE US A DOOR OPEN/UNLOCKED LIGHT. AFTER A PROPER PREFLT AND VERIFYING THAT THE DOOR WAS CLOSED, WE CONTINUED THE TRIP WITH NO FURTHER PROB. A PROPER PREFLT WALK AROUND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS FROM HAPPENING. ALSO, WHEN THE DOOR CAME OPEN, WE LOST OUR ENG COVERS IN FLT. FORTUNATELY NOTHING OR NO ONE WAS HURT OR DAMAGED ON THE GND.

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.