Narrative:

Crew did walkaround and boarded. Passenger were loaded and ramp personnel loaded carry-on baggage and left a small tag protruding from nose baggage door (unpressurized area). Upon takeoff, crew noticed fluttering sound and knew the cause and returned for a landing. Were at gate approximately 5 mins later, shut down. Investigated and found tag was indeed protruding and confirmed it was stowed and integrity of door and aircraft was normal. Refueled to recommended and felt all bases were covered and elected to takeoff for destination. First officer and I during the heat of battle so to speak failed to remember that a new dispatch release was necessary. This was partly due to the fact we were not able to contact dispatch from aircraft. We were informed by ramp personnel that no customs papers were needed as long as no one went back inside. We took this to mean us as well. Since we had returned for precautionary reasons and not mechanical we did not need to have logbook signed. The original release was still in its valid time and required fuel was complied with. We felt we could just contact dispatch airborne and take care of any paperwork. Although we did not violate any far, we did not follow company policy. In past experience of returning to gate for precautionary reasons (ie, shifting baggage, de-icing, etc) dispatch usually is not contacted as long as release is in valid time. Crew viewed our return as similar situation. In retrospect, our action was foolish but both captain and first officer had not remembered this particular dispatch section and felt everything was normal. Contributing to confusion was our unfamiliarity with customs procedures. I have only been a captain on this aircraft for 5 months and it is a new plane for me as well. The safer course of action should have been to call dispatch. The one time I wish I had a cell phone.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE FLC HAD TO RETURN AND LAND TO RE-CLOSE FORWARD BAGGAGE DOOR WITHOUT BAG TAG PROTRUDING. THEN AFTER REFUELING THE CREW DID NOT OBTAIN A NEW RELEASE FROM DISPATCH.

Narrative: CREW DID WALKAROUND AND BOARDED. PAX WERE LOADED AND RAMP PERSONNEL LOADED CARRY-ON BAGGAGE AND LEFT A SMALL TAG PROTRUDING FROM NOSE BAGGAGE DOOR (UNPRESSURIZED AREA). UPON TKOF, CREW NOTICED FLUTTERING SOUND AND KNEW THE CAUSE AND RETURNED FOR A LNDG. WERE AT GATE APPROX 5 MINS LATER, SHUT DOWN. INVESTIGATED AND FOUND TAG WAS INDEED PROTRUDING AND CONFIRMED IT WAS STOWED AND INTEGRITY OF DOOR AND ACFT WAS NORMAL. REFUELED TO RECOMMENDED AND FELT ALL BASES WERE COVERED AND ELECTED TO TKOF FOR DEST. FO AND I DURING THE HEAT OF BATTLE SO TO SPEAK FAILED TO REMEMBER THAT A NEW DISPATCH RELEASE WAS NECESSARY. THIS WAS PARTLY DUE TO THE FACT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO CONTACT DISPATCH FROM ACFT. WE WERE INFORMED BY RAMP PERSONNEL THAT NO CUSTOMS PAPERS WERE NEEDED AS LONG AS NO ONE WENT BACK INSIDE. WE TOOK THIS TO MEAN US AS WELL. SINCE WE HAD RETURNED FOR PRECAUTIONARY REASONS AND NOT MECHANICAL WE DID NOT NEED TO HAVE LOGBOOK SIGNED. THE ORIGINAL RELEASE WAS STILL IN ITS VALID TIME AND REQUIRED FUEL WAS COMPLIED WITH. WE FELT WE COULD JUST CONTACT DISPATCH AIRBORNE AND TAKE CARE OF ANY PAPERWORK. ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT VIOLATE ANY FAR, WE DID NOT FOLLOW COMPANY POLICY. IN PAST EXPERIENCE OF RETURNING TO GATE FOR PRECAUTIONARY REASONS (IE, SHIFTING BAGGAGE, DE-ICING, ETC) DISPATCH USUALLY IS NOT CONTACTED AS LONG AS RELEASE IS IN VALID TIME. CREW VIEWED OUR RETURN AS SIMILAR SIT. IN RETROSPECT, OUR ACTION WAS FOOLISH BUT BOTH CAPT AND FO HAD NOT REMEMBERED THIS PARTICULAR DISPATCH SECTION AND FELT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. CONTRIBUTING TO CONFUSION WAS OUR UNFAMILIARITY WITH CUSTOMS PROCS. I HAVE ONLY BEEN A CAPT ON THIS ACFT FOR 5 MONTHS AND IT IS A NEW PLANE FOR ME AS WELL. THE SAFER COURSE OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO CALL DISPATCH. THE ONE TIME I WISH I HAD A CELL PHONE.

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.