Narrative:

Near scheduled departure time, arrival bags were still in forward crew bin. Maintenance could not get door open. So went to check on progress. Door finally opened. Maintenance came to cockpit, said they were now going to close door and get us on our way. I said we would make sure door would open and close, we didn't need another air carrier B747 out of hnl accident with the forward cargo door. I proceeded down to ramp to see maintenance looking at door latch system out of phase in a state of bewilderment. 1 mechanic took out a knife and began to carve what appeared to be foam like material from the inside of the door, as if it was in the way or impeding door closure. I then took maintenance supervisor to check MEL and maintenance procedures. I told him to use the proper procedures and to be prudent and cautious. MEL placard paperwork completed -- we were on our way, late. Flight proceeded normally to japan and back. Upon next day's flight, I discovered the paperwork verbiage to be not related to MEL and that perhaps they should have removed the hooks. I reported the experience to the chief pilot. I suggested guam maintenance needs more training and to slow down and take time to do paperwork and do procedures completely.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B747 QUESTIONED AIRLINE MAINT PROC IN CORRECTING A CARGO DOOR LATCHING PROB WITH REGARD TO REPAIR PROC AND MEL WRITE-UP.

Narrative: NEAR SCHEDULED DEP TIME, ARR BAGS WERE STILL IN FORWARD CREW BIN. MAINT COULD NOT GET DOOR OPEN. SO WENT TO CHK ON PROGRESS. DOOR FINALLY OPENED. MAINT CAME TO COCKPIT, SAID THEY WERE NOW GOING TO CLOSE DOOR AND GET US ON OUR WAY. I SAID WE WOULD MAKE SURE DOOR WOULD OPEN AND CLOSE, WE DIDN'T NEED ANOTHER ACR B747 OUT OF HNL ACCIDENT WITH THE FORWARD CARGO DOOR. I PROCEEDED DOWN TO RAMP TO SEE MAINT LOOKING AT DOOR LATCH SYS OUT OF PHASE IN A STATE OF BEWILDERMENT. 1 MECH TOOK OUT A KNIFE AND BEGAN TO CARVE WHAT APPEARED TO BE FOAM LIKE MATERIAL FROM THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR, AS IF IT WAS IN THE WAY OR IMPEDING DOOR CLOSURE. I THEN TOOK MAINT SUPVR TO CHK MEL AND MAINT PROCS. I TOLD HIM TO USE THE PROPER PROCS AND TO BE PRUDENT AND CAUTIOUS. MEL PLACARD PAPERWORK COMPLETED -- WE WERE ON OUR WAY, LATE. FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY TO JAPAN AND BACK. UPON NEXT DAY'S FLT, I DISCOVERED THE PAPERWORK VERBIAGE TO BE NOT RELATED TO MEL AND THAT PERHAPS THEY SHOULD HAVE REMOVED THE HOOKS. I RPTED THE EXPERIENCE TO THE CHIEF PLT. I SUGGESTED GUAM MAINT NEEDS MORE TRAINING AND TO SLOW DOWN AND TAKE TIME TO DO PAPERWORK AND DO PROCS COMPLETELY.

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.