CL65 experiences passenger door warning on initial climb. Return to departure airport.

Attributes
ACN	725649
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5025 flight time type : 3680
ASRS Report	725649
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	726140
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During takeoff climb from ZZZ through approximately 5000 ft MSL; 'passenger door latch' caution message activated on ED1 with associated aural single-chime. Approximately 30 seconds later; 'passenger door' warning message and associated aural triple-chime and vocal 'door' activated. As PF; I took control of communication #1 (ATC) and commanded first officer to complete the quick reference handbook (QRH) procedure appropriate with the 'passenger door' warning. Pressurization; aircraft controllability; and sounds were normal. I declared an emergency with departure control and stated my intention to return to ZZZ. I received clearance to level at 7000 ft and vectors for a right downwind. After first officer completed QRH emergency checklist; it directed 'land at the nearest suitable airport.' ZZZ was unquestionably the nearest suitable airport. I declined arff equipment and did not deem an evacuation as necessary under the circumstances. Normal checklists were completed and a normal landing was made without incident. Passenger were deplaned at gate via normal procedures. Flight attendant inspected door cams on taxi-in and observed all green witness marks properly aligned; indicating door was properly closed. Contract maintenance cycled the passenger door and could not duplicate the problem. The aircraft was signed off for further flight with no restr. On subsequent flight 'passenger door latch' caution message activated and remained on during entire flight. Maintenance personnel inspected door and found worn/maladjusted parts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 EXPERIENCES PAX DOOR WARNING ON INITIAL CLB. RETURN TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: DURING TAKEOFF CLB FROM ZZZ THROUGH APPROX 5000 FT MSL; 'PAX DOOR LATCH' CAUTION MSG ACTIVATED ON ED1 WITH ASSOCIATED AURAL SINGLE-CHIME. APPROX 30 SECONDS LATER; 'PAX DOOR' WARNING MSG AND ASSOCIATED AURAL TRIPLE-CHIME AND VOCAL 'DOOR' ACTIVATED. AS PF; I TOOK CTL OF COM #1 (ATC) AND COMMANDED FO TO COMPLETE THE QUICK REFERENCE HANDBOOK (QRH) PROC APPROPRIATE WITH THE 'PAX DOOR' WARNING. PRESSURIZATION; ACFT CONTROLLABILITY; AND SOUNDS WERE NORMAL. I DECLARED AN EMER WITH DEP CTL AND STATED MY INTENTION TO RETURN TO ZZZ. I RECEIVED CLRNC TO LEVEL AT 7000 FT AND VECTORS FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND. AFTER FO COMPLETED QRH EMER CHKLIST; IT DIRECTED 'LAND AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE AIRPORT.' ZZZ WAS UNQUESTIONABLY THE NEAREST SUITABLE AIRPORT. I DECLINED ARFF EQUIP AND DID NOT DEEM AN EVACUATION AS NECESSARY UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. NORMAL CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT INCIDENT. PAX WERE DEPLANED AT GATE VIA NORMAL PROCS. FLT ATTENDANT INSPECTED DOOR CAMS ON TAXI-IN AND OBSERVED ALL GREEN WITNESS MARKS PROPERLY ALIGNED; INDICATING DOOR WAS PROPERLY CLOSED. CONTRACT MAINT CYCLED THE PAX DOOR AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROB. THE ACFT WAS SIGNED OFF FOR FURTHER FLT WITH NO RESTR. ON SUBSEQUENT FLT 'PAX DOOR LATCH' CAUTION MSG ACTIVATED AND REMAINED ON DURING ENTIRE FLT. MAINT PERSONNEL INSPECTED DOOR AND FOUND WORN/MALADJUSTED PARTS.

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.