B747-200 returned to the gate because noise like cargo shifting was heard.

Attributes
ACN	351677
Time
Date	199611
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 725
ASRS Report	351677
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 360
ASRS Report	351964
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Passenger and flight attendants heard loud clunking noise during taxi. Deadheading B747 captain said it sounded like a loose cargo can. Returned to gate. All found secure. I even went into bins myself and found everything ok. Maintenance found a loose plumb bob, which they secured. On taxi out, sound recurred, although of less intensity. Deadheading captain said it now just sounded like something shifting inside a cargo can. Based on what I saw in the bins, and what I heard from the other captain, I decided it was safe to assume it was simply something inside a cargo can, so it was safe to go. An uncomfortable feeling, though! I wish that loose items inside cargo cans were also required to be secured to the inside of the can, to avoid disheartening shifting noises that upset passenger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-200 RETURNED TO THE GATE BECAUSE NOISE LIKE CARGO SHIFTING WAS HEARD.

Narrative: PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS HEARD LOUD CLUNKING NOISE DURING TAXI. DEADHEADING B747 CAPT SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE A LOOSE CARGO CAN. RETURNED TO GATE. ALL FOUND SECURE. I EVEN WENT INTO BINS MYSELF AND FOUND EVERYTHING OK. MAINT FOUND A LOOSE PLUMB BOB, WHICH THEY SECURED. ON TAXI OUT, SOUND RECURRED, ALTHOUGH OF LESS INTENSITY. DEADHEADING CAPT SAID IT NOW JUST SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING SHIFTING INSIDE A CARGO CAN. BASED ON WHAT I SAW IN THE BINS, AND WHAT I HEARD FROM THE OTHER CAPT, I DECIDED IT WAS SAFE TO ASSUME IT WAS SIMPLY SOMETHING INSIDE A CARGO CAN, SO IT WAS SAFE TO GO. AN UNCOMFORTABLE FEELING, THOUGH! I WISH THAT LOOSE ITEMS INSIDE CARGO CANS WERE ALSO REQUIRED TO BE SECURED TO THE INSIDE OF THE CAN, TO AVOID DISHEARTENING SHIFTING NOISES THAT UPSET PAX.

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.