A B737-200 flight crew returned to departure airport when the cabin failed to pressurize.

Attributes
ACN	756296
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hnl.tower tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	756296
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	756297
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : pressure auto fail light other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

During takeoff we received an automatic fail light on the pressurization panel. We switched to standby per the QRH; but the cabin would not pressurize. All SOP's were followed. Returned to ZZZ for landing and inspections. We discovered on arrival at the departure airport ramp that the equipment access door was open which is why we could not pressurize. The light annunciator for the associated door had failed leading us to believe the doors were all closed. Failure of maintenance and/or cockpit crew to note situation on walkaround is contributory.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 FLT CREW RETURNED TO DEP ARPT WHEN THE CABIN FAILED TO PRESSURIZE.

Narrative: DURING TKOF WE RECEIVED AN AUTO FAIL LIGHT ON THE PRESSURIZATION PANEL. WE SWITCHED TO STANDBY PER THE QRH; BUT THE CABIN WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE. ALL SOP'S WERE FOLLOWED. RETURNED TO ZZZ FOR LNDG AND INSPECTIONS. WE DISCOVERED ON ARR AT THE DEP ARPT RAMP THAT THE EQUIP ACCESS DOOR WAS OPEN WHICH IS WHY WE COULD NOT PRESSURIZE. THE LIGHT ANNUNCIATOR FOR THE ASSOCIATED DOOR HAD FAILED LEADING US TO BELIEVE THE DOORS WERE ALL CLOSED. FAILURE OF MAINT AND/OR COCKPIT CREW TO NOTE SITUATION ON WALKAROUND IS CONTRIBUTORY.

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.