An MD11, immediately after takeoff, returned to the field due to a strap hanging out of door 4L.

Attributes
ACN	445321
Time
Date	199908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
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 attendant : extra
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 15 flight attendant time total : 15 flight attendant time type : 1
ASRS Report	445321
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Immediately following takeoff we heard a loud knocking/slapping noise outside the 4L door. We checked around the door and inside the lavatory and could not find anything that looked out of the ordinary. There seemed to be no air leak but the noise was very unusual and very loud. The cockpit was called and they could hear the noise over the phone. We returned to dfw, mechanics opened the door to find a red twill strap attached to a hook on the forward inside frame of the door. Approximately 8 inches of the 3 ft strap was left outside the aircraft door and was slapping against the fuselage. There was no apparent damage so the strap was removed and we left again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11, IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF, RETURNED TO THE FIELD DUE TO A STRAP HANGING OUT OF DOOR 4L.

Narrative: IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TKOF WE HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING/SLAPPING NOISE OUTSIDE THE 4L DOOR. WE CHKED AROUND THE DOOR AND INSIDE THE LAVATORY AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING THAT LOOKED OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THERE SEEMED TO BE NO AIR LEAK BUT THE NOISE WAS VERY UNUSUAL AND VERY LOUD. THE COCKPIT WAS CALLED AND THEY COULD HEAR THE NOISE OVER THE PHONE. WE RETURNED TO DFW, MECHS OPENED THE DOOR TO FIND A RED TWILL STRAP ATTACHED TO A HOOK ON THE FORWARD INSIDE FRAME OF THE DOOR. APPROX 8 INCHES OF THE 3 FT STRAP WAS LEFT OUTSIDE THE ACFT DOOR AND WAS SLAPPING AGAINST THE FUSELAGE. THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE SO THE STRAP WAS REMOVED AND WE LEFT AGAIN.

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.