Narrative:

We departed early morning from ZZZ. Once the landing gear was retracted, and before 1000 ft as we were accelerating, a 'door' warning illuminated. An associated 'service' door light was illuminated on the overhead. We were still within 5 NM of the airport and speed was less than 180 KTS. We entered the pattern on a downwind leg and landed uneventfully. I elected to return immediately as the speed was low and damage, if any, to either access door represented by the light would be minimal. Once on the ground, I contacted air carrier who had been previously notified of the return by ZZZ operations at my request. I discussed the problem with maintenance control who arranged for contract maintenance to correct the problem. Once the work/inspection was complete, the contract mechanic was discussing the paperwork with maintenance control on the phone. Once he was finished, I asked to speak to the dispatcher. My recollection of the conversation and action taken is lacking. I thought I discussed the release with the dispatcher but cannot say for sure. Because of the return flight, a new release was required per company policy and the FARS. I think we agreed to amend the original release as all the information would be the same. However, because I am questioning my actions, I may have inadvertently departed without a valid release. A lot was going on during the return, such as coordinating parking with operations, contacting flight control, coordinating with maintenance and flight control, advising the passenger, and arranging for refueling the airplane. Perhaps I should have been aware I was in a rush to get the passenger to their destination and slowed down and reviewed the appropriate procedures. Possibly, doubt about a small but important piece of paperwork could have been avoided.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E120 CAPT DEPARTED ZZZ WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED EARLY MORNING FROM ZZZ. ONCE THE LNDG GEAR WAS RETRACTED, AND BEFORE 1000 FT AS WE WERE ACCELERATING, A 'DOOR' WARNING ILLUMINATED. AN ASSOCIATED 'SVC' DOOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE OVERHEAD. WE WERE STILL WITHIN 5 NM OF THE ARPT AND SPD WAS LESS THAN 180 KTS. WE ENTERED THE PATTERN ON A DOWNWIND LEG AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. I ELECTED TO RETURN IMMEDIATELY AS THE SPD WAS LOW AND DAMAGE, IF ANY, TO EITHER ACCESS DOOR REPRESENTED BY THE LIGHT WOULD BE MINIMAL. ONCE ON THE GND, I CONTACTED ACR WHO HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY NOTIFIED OF THE RETURN BY ZZZ OPS AT MY REQUEST. I DISCUSSED THE PROB WITH MAINT CTL WHO ARRANGED FOR CONTRACT MAINT TO CORRECT THE PROB. ONCE THE WORK/INSPECTION WAS COMPLETE, THE CONTRACT MECH WAS DISCUSSING THE PAPERWORK WITH MAINT CTL ON THE PHONE. ONCE HE WAS FINISHED, I ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE DISPATCHER. MY RECOLLECTION OF THE CONVERSATION AND ACTION TAKEN IS LACKING. I THOUGHT I DISCUSSED THE RELEASE WITH THE DISPATCHER BUT CANNOT SAY FOR SURE. BECAUSE OF THE RETURN FLT, A NEW RELEASE WAS REQUIRED PER COMPANY POLICY AND THE FARS. I THINK WE AGREED TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL RELEASE AS ALL THE INFO WOULD BE THE SAME. HOWEVER, BECAUSE I AM QUESTIONING MY ACTIONS, I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY DEPARTED WITHOUT A VALID RELEASE. A LOT WAS GOING ON DURING THE RETURN, SUCH AS COORDINATING PARKING WITH OPS, CONTACTING FLT CTL, COORDINATING WITH MAINT AND FLT CTL, ADVISING THE PAX, AND ARRANGING FOR REFUELING THE AIRPLANE. PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE I WAS IN A RUSH TO GET THE PAX TO THEIR DEST AND SLOWED DOWN AND REVIEWED THE APPROPRIATE PROCS. POSSIBLY, DOUBT ABOUT A SMALL BUT IMPORTANT PIECE OF PAPERWORK COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

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.