Medium large transport crew had a cargo door warning light illuminate on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	467560
Time
Date	200003
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : buf.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	467560
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 non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

During the takeoff roll on runway 23 at buf, the mid cargo door warning light illuminated. Shortly after takeoff during climb, the light went out. Upon arrival at cle, one of our ramp personnel advised the captain and I that the mid cargo door was slightly open and the handle was in the unlocked position. Our assumption was that the door was closed but not latched in buf. The switch that sends the indication to the light apparently is associated with the cargo door and not the handle (latch). Thus the door was closed initially and pressurization kept it closed until arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG CREW HAD A CARGO DOOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATE ON TKOF.

Narrative: DURING THE TKOF ROLL ON RWY 23 AT BUF, THE MID CARGO DOOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF DURING CLB, THE LIGHT WENT OUT. UPON ARR AT CLE, ONE OF OUR RAMP PERSONNEL ADVISED THE CAPT AND I THAT THE MID CARGO DOOR WAS SLIGHTLY OPEN AND THE HANDLE WAS IN THE UNLOCKED POS. OUR ASSUMPTION WAS THAT THE DOOR WAS CLOSED BUT NOT LATCHED IN BUF. THE SWITCH THAT SENDS THE INDICATION TO THE LIGHT APPARENTLY IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CARGO DOOR AND NOT THE HANDLE (LATCH). THUS THE DOOR WAS CLOSED INITIALLY AND PRESSURIZATION KEPT IT CLOSED UNTIL ARR.

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.