Narrative:

Just prior to takeoff rotation at ewr the aft stairway door light flickered on and off and soon remained on. The QRH required a return for landing. ATC and company were notified and we were sequenced for the approach. The aircraft was overweight - - 135-700 pounds at touchdown. Landing was normal and sink rate was approximately 200 FPM. I did not declare an emergency however, ewr did provide crash fire rescue equipment equipment. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: a faulty sending switch caused aft stairway door light to illuminate. Captain states that determination was made by maintenance when door operation would not result in proper indications. Maintenance closed and latched door, and placarded the handle per MEL. Supplemental information from acn 309534: flight jul/thu/95. Taxi to the gate was routine.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S80 ACR RETURNED TO LAND AFTER RECEIVING AN AFT STAIRWAY DOOR INDICATION DURING ROTATION PHASE.

Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO TKOF ROTATION AT EWR THE AFT STAIRWAY DOOR LIGHT FLICKERED ON AND OFF AND SOON REMAINED ON. THE QRH REQUIRED A RETURN FOR LNDG. ATC AND COMPANY WERE NOTIFIED AND WE WERE SEQUENCED FOR THE APCH. THE ACFT WAS OVERWT - - 135-700 LBS AT TOUCHDOWN. LNDG WAS NORMAL AND SINK RATE WAS APPROX 200 FPM. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER HOWEVER, EWR DID PROVIDE CFR EQUIP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: A FAULTY SENDING SWITCH CAUSED AFT STAIRWAY DOOR LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. CAPT STATES THAT DETERMINATION WAS MADE BY MAINT WHEN DOOR OP WOULD NOT RESULT IN PROPER INDICATIONS. MAINT CLOSED AND LATCHED DOOR, AND PLACARDED THE HANDLE PER MEL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 309534: FLT JUL/THU/95. TAXI TO THE GATE WAS ROUTINE.

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.