A B727 had cargo door light come on after takeoff, which resulted in emergency landing.

Attributes
ACN	594269
Time
Date	200309
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dlh.airport
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp.artcc tower : dlh.tower tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 345
ASRS Report	594269
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : door warning other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On climb out 'main cargo' light illuminated on flight engineer panel. Air speed kept below 250 KIAS, then reduced to 200 KIAS while descending to 10000 ft. Notified center we needed to return to dlh and declared emergency. Accomplished all emergency and normal checklist. Shot ILS runway 9 cycle to runway 27. Upon landing, cancelled emergency. Taxied to ramp, made write-up in aml.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 HAD CARGO DOOR LIGHT COME ON AFTER TKOF, WHICH RESULTED IN EMER LNDG.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT 'MAIN CARGO' LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON FE PANEL. AIR SPD KEPT BELOW 250 KIAS, THEN REDUCED TO 200 KIAS WHILE DSNDING TO 10000 FT. NOTIFIED CTR WE NEEDED TO RETURN TO DLH AND DECLARED EMER. ACCOMPLISHED ALL EMER AND NORMAL CHKLIST. SHOT ILS RWY 9 CYCLE TO RWY 27. UPON LNDG, CANCELLED EMER. TAXIED TO RAMP, MADE WRITE-UP IN AML.

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.