B737-500 with cargo door warning light returns to ewr for overweight landing.

Attributes
ACN	442270
Time
Date	199907
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	442270
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After a 2 hour delay, we departed in a B737-500 for halifax. At 1000 ft, the aft baggage door light illuminated. Even though the cabin was pressurizing normally, we decided the safest action was to return. Because we landed 2000 pounds overweight, we should have declared an emergency. The timing would have worked better if we had briefed the flight attendants first, and then told ATC what we needed. Telling ATC first made for a very rushed return to the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-500 WITH CARGO DOOR WARNING LIGHT RETURNS TO EWR FOR OVERWT LNDG.

Narrative: AFTER A 2 HR DELAY, WE DEPARTED IN A B737-500 FOR HALIFAX. AT 1000 FT, THE AFT BAGGAGE DOOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. EVEN THOUGH THE CABIN WAS PRESSURIZING NORMALLY, WE DECIDED THE SAFEST ACTION WAS TO RETURN. BECAUSE WE LANDED 2000 LBS OVERWT, WE SHOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER. THE TIMING WOULD HAVE WORKED BETTER IF WE HAD BRIEFED THE FLT ATTENDANTS FIRST, AND THEN TOLD ATC WHAT WE NEEDED. TELLING ATC FIRST MADE FOR A VERY RUSHED RETURN TO THE ARPT.

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.