Narrative:

We were on taxi out to the active runway for departure when the aircraft behind us reported that we had an open service door. We informed ATC that we would need to return to the gate. We were then given instructions to taxi down the active runway (runway 13R) and exit at taxiway PA, and then to contact ground control. We did as instructed and notified ground control of our need to return to the gate. We were instructed to taxi via taxiway PA, taxiway Q, and taxiway B towards the ramp. As we continued taxiing we were again asked what we needed to do by ground control. We told him that we needed a place to check a possible open service door. We were then instructed to turn left off of taxiway B, left on taxiway M, and another left on taxiway a to hold short of taxiway ma. He was immediately informed that checking the service door would require the shutdown of both engines. We were informed that this was ok. The engines were shut down and the first officer exited the aircraft to check the service door. The nyc port authority/authorized made an appearance and informed us that we were not allowed to get out on an active taxiway. This person then contacted ground control and asked about our clearance. The ground controller seemed completely baffled, as he thought we needed to check out a service door 'inside' the aircraft. The engines were started and we returned to the gate as originally planned. The flight left about 2 hours 45 mins late after maintenance checked the service door. The remainder of the flight was operated safely and without incident. Supplemental information from acn 519274: at jfk, we received an unrequested lavatory service. We were not informed that this service was rendered. After taxiing out, we were #1 for takeoff on runway 13R when another pilot informed us that we had a panel hanging down behind the right main gear.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER TAXI OUT AND #1 FOR TKOF, CL65 CREW ADVISED BY A FOLLOWING ACFT THAT A PANEL DOOR COULD BE SEEN HANGING BEHIND THE R MAIN GEAR.

Narrative: WE WERE ON TAXI OUT TO THE ACTIVE RWY FOR DEP WHEN THE ACFT BEHIND US RPTED THAT WE HAD AN OPEN SVC DOOR. WE INFORMED ATC THAT WE WOULD NEED TO RETURN TO THE GATE. WE WERE THEN GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO TAXI DOWN THE ACTIVE RWY (RWY 13R) AND EXIT AT TXWY PA, AND THEN TO CONTACT GND CTL. WE DID AS INSTRUCTED AND NOTIFIED GND CTL OF OUR NEED TO RETURN TO THE GATE. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI VIA TXWY PA, TXWY Q, AND TXWY B TOWARDS THE RAMP. AS WE CONTINUED TAXIING WE WERE AGAIN ASKED WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO BY GND CTL. WE TOLD HIM THAT WE NEEDED A PLACE TO CHK A POSSIBLE OPEN SVC DOOR. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO TURN L OFF OF TXWY B, L ON TXWY M, AND ANOTHER L ON TXWY A TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY MA. HE WAS IMMEDIATELY INFORMED THAT CHKING THE SVC DOOR WOULD REQUIRE THE SHUTDOWN OF BOTH ENGS. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS WAS OK. THE ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN AND THE FO EXITED THE ACFT TO CHK THE SVC DOOR. THE NYC PORT AUTH MADE AN APPEARANCE AND INFORMED US THAT WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GET OUT ON AN ACTIVE TXWY. THIS PERSON THEN CONTACTED GND CTL AND ASKED ABOUT OUR CLRNC. THE GND CTLR SEEMED COMPLETELY BAFFLED, AS HE THOUGHT WE NEEDED TO CHK OUT A SVC DOOR 'INSIDE' THE ACFT. THE ENGS WERE STARTED AND WE RETURNED TO THE GATE AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED. THE FLT LEFT ABOUT 2 HRS 45 MINS LATE AFTER MAINT CHKED THE SVC DOOR. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS OPERATED SAFELY AND WITHOUT INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 519274: AT JFK, WE RECEIVED AN UNREQUESTED LAVATORY SVC. WE WERE NOT INFORMED THAT THIS SVC WAS RENDERED. AFTER TAXIING OUT, WE WERE #1 FOR TKOF ON RWY 13R WHEN ANOTHER PLT INFORMED US THAT WE HAD A PANEL HANGING DOWN BEHIND THE R MAIN GEAR.

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.