EMB135 flight crew has improper EICAS indication regarding an open cargo door.

Attributes
ACN	698413
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmh.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 135 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	698413
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

During the first flight of the day preflight checks; the cargo door was open; but both the external and interior lights were not illuminated. This discrepancy was brought to the attention of the captain. He also noted that there was no indication on the EICAS or the mfd's takeoff page; which indicated that the cargo door was in an unsafe (open) condition. The captain entered the discrepancy in the aml; and called maintenance. When maintenance arrived; I witnessed him inspect a micro switch on the sidewall of the cargo doorway. He found a piece of black plastic about 2 inches long; jammed into the micro switch. When this was removed; the lights came on and we saw a ramper sleeping in the cargo compartment. The light coming on startled the ramper; and I asked him if this was his piece of plastic. He replied 'yes!' I asked further if he put it in the switch; he again replied; 'yes!' I then asked him to see his identify; and to speak to his supervisor. He wandered aimlessly towards the terminal; and I finally went in an office and he followed. I asked a woman behind the desk if she knew who this person was. She responded; 'yes.' mr X; while on duty; used a piece of plastic to disable a safety device on the aircraft; rendering the system deactivated; and displaying false information to the flight deck; so that he could sleep.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB135 FLT CREW HAS IMPROPER EICAS INDICATION REGARDING AN OPEN CARGO DOOR.

Narrative: DURING THE FIRST FLT OF THE DAY PREFLT CHKS; THE CARGO DOOR WAS OPEN; BUT BOTH THE EXTERNAL AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. THIS DISCREPANCY WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF THE CAPT. HE ALSO NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON THE EICAS OR THE MFD'S TKOF PAGE; WHICH INDICATED THAT THE CARGO DOOR WAS IN AN UNSAFE (OPEN) CONDITION. THE CAPT ENTERED THE DISCREPANCY IN THE AML; AND CALLED MAINT. WHEN MAINT ARRIVED; I WITNESSED HIM INSPECT A MICRO SWITCH ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE CARGO DOORWAY. HE FOUND A PIECE OF BLACK PLASTIC ABOUT 2 INCHES LONG; JAMMED INTO THE MICRO SWITCH. WHEN THIS WAS REMOVED; THE LIGHTS CAME ON AND WE SAW A RAMPER SLEEPING IN THE CARGO COMPARTMENT. THE LIGHT COMING ON STARTLED THE RAMPER; AND I ASKED HIM IF THIS WAS HIS PIECE OF PLASTIC. HE REPLIED 'YES!' I ASKED FURTHER IF HE PUT IT IN THE SWITCH; HE AGAIN REPLIED; 'YES!' I THEN ASKED HIM TO SEE HIS IDENT; AND TO SPEAK TO HIS SUPVR. HE WANDERED AIMLESSLY TOWARDS THE TERMINAL; AND I FINALLY WENT IN AN OFFICE AND HE FOLLOWED. I ASKED A WOMAN BEHIND THE DESK IF SHE KNEW WHO THIS PERSON WAS. SHE RESPONDED; 'YES.' MR X; WHILE ON DUTY; USED A PIECE OF PLASTIC TO DISABLE A SAFETY DEVICE ON THE ACFT; RENDERING THE SYS DEACTIVATED; AND DISPLAYING FALSE INFO TO THE FLT DECK; SO THAT HE COULD SLEEP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.