CE68 experiences an altitude deviation when distracted by a baggage door warning shortly after takeo...

Attributes
ACN	725916
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rsw.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rsw.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Cessna Citation Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	725916
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cas doorwing other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

We had just departed apf and were climbing out through approximately 6000 ft MSL when an amber cas message appeared on our display screen indicating that the baggage door was unlocked. After a brief discussion with the captain regarding our options; I (as the PNF) notified rsw departure control that we needed to divert and land at ft meyers (international). The controller began vectoring us to the airport. We were 12-10 NM from rsw. Unfortunately; the controller misunderstood our request and intentions. He assumed -- without verifying -- that we wanted to land at the small ft myers airport. When I asked for the current WX and active runway at ft myers; it became apparent the controller was not vectoring us to rsw. We clarified which airport we intended to use. The controller gave us additional vectors. I then turned my attention to the checklists; and also opened the book of approach plates to retrieve the plates for rsw. During this time; the captain was flying the airplane and talking on the radio. Also; during this time; we were cleared to descend and maintain 3000 ft. The captain apparently misunderstood the clearance. He thought the controller said 2000 ft. As I was getting the approach plates out; I heard the controller ask what we 'were doing.' I looked up and saw that we were descending through 2400 ft. The captain then clarified the altitude and went back up to 3000 ft. The captain apologized for his confusion and explained that we were indicating a baggage door open. We landed at rsw without incident and discovered that one of the 5 fasteners on the baggage door had popped open. This open fastener was responsible for the cas message in the cockpit. The very short period of time that we had to complete checklists; obtain approach plates; and get vectored for landing at rsw contributed to the captain's confusion regarding the assigned altitude. Another contributing factor was our concern over what our situation truly was. We did not know; until we got on the ground; that it was merely a fastener that had opened and not the door itself.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CE68 EXPERIENCES AN ALT DEV WHEN DISTRACTED BY A BAGGAGE DOOR WARNING SHORTLY AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST DEPARTED APF AND WERE CLBING OUT THROUGH APPROX 6000 FT MSL WHEN AN AMBER CAS MESSAGE APPEARED ON OUR DISPLAY SCREEN INDICATING THAT THE BAGGAGE DOOR WAS UNLOCKED. AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION WITH THE CAPT REGARDING OUR OPTIONS; I (AS THE PNF) NOTIFIED RSW DEP CTL THAT WE NEEDED TO DIVERT AND LAND AT FT MEYERS (INTL). THE CTLR BEGAN VECTORING US TO THE ARPT. WE WERE 12-10 NM FROM RSW. UNFORTUNATELY; THE CTLR MISUNDERSTOOD OUR REQUEST AND INTENTIONS. HE ASSUMED -- WITHOUT VERIFYING -- THAT WE WANTED TO LAND AT THE SMALL FT MYERS ARPT. WHEN I ASKED FOR THE CURRENT WX AND ACTIVE RWY AT FT MYERS; IT BECAME APPARENT THE CTLR WAS NOT VECTORING US TO RSW. WE CLARIFIED WHICH ARPT WE INTENDED TO USE. THE CTLR GAVE US ADDITIONAL VECTORS. I THEN TURNED MY ATTN TO THE CHKLISTS; AND ALSO OPENED THE BOOK OF APCH PLATES TO RETRIEVE THE PLATES FOR RSW. DURING THIS TIME; THE CAPT WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE AND TALKING ON THE RADIO. ALSO; DURING THIS TIME; WE WERE CLRED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT. THE CAPT APPARENTLY MISUNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC. HE THOUGHT THE CTLR SAID 2000 FT. AS I WAS GETTING THE APCH PLATES OUT; I HEARD THE CTLR ASK WHAT WE 'WERE DOING.' I LOOKED UP AND SAW THAT WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 2400 FT. THE CAPT THEN CLARIFIED THE ALT AND WENT BACK UP TO 3000 FT. THE CAPT APOLOGIZED FOR HIS CONFUSION AND EXPLAINED THAT WE WERE INDICATING A BAGGAGE DOOR OPEN. WE LANDED AT RSW WITHOUT INCIDENT AND DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF THE 5 FASTENERS ON THE BAGGAGE DOOR HAD POPPED OPEN. THIS OPEN FASTENER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CAS MESSAGE IN THE COCKPIT. THE VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THAT WE HAD TO COMPLETE CHKLISTS; OBTAIN APCH PLATES; AND GET VECTORED FOR LNDG AT RSW CONTRIBUTED TO THE CAPT'S CONFUSION REGARDING THE ASSIGNED ALT. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS OUR CONCERN OVER WHAT OUR SITUATION TRULY WAS. WE DID NOT KNOW; UNTIL WE GOT ON THE GND; THAT IT WAS MERELY A FASTENER THAT HAD OPENED AND NOT THE DOOR ITSELF.

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.

CE68 experiences an altitude deviation when distracted by a baggage door warning shortly after takeoff.