Forward cargo door opened after takeoff. Cargo door indicating system was deferred.

Attributes
ACN	758391
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER&LR
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
Person 2
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 11400 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	758391
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Forward cargo door opened in-flight. We returned to ZZZ for landing and expected and briefed ILS runway 31C circle to land runway 22L as broadcast on ATIS. This approach would have allowed touchdown at less than maximum landing weight. Chicago approach then turned us toward airport and asked us to report field in sight for a visual approach to runway 22L. This saved about 8 mins of flying time and resulted in a landing weight possibly 500 pounds over maximum landing weight limit. We reported possible overweight landing to maintenance and they concluded no inspection was required based on weight and rate of descent at touchdown. We were not aware forward cargo door was open while in-flight and elected to return due to pressurization problem and unusual noise. Forward cargo compartment door indication system was deferred per MEL. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the aircraft involved was a CRJ700. Reporter stated that the inoperative indicator required a visual inspection for security prior to flight. This was accomplished by the reporter and ground personnel. After the aircraft returned; the door was discovered to be fully open. The latches were inspected; and they appeared to be out of rig.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FORWARD CARGO DOOR OPENED AFTER TKOF. CARGO DOOR INDICATING SYSTEM WAS DEFERRED.

Narrative: FORWARD CARGO DOOR OPENED INFLT. WE RETURNED TO ZZZ FOR LNDG AND EXPECTED AND BRIEFED ILS RWY 31C CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 22L AS BROADCAST ON ATIS. THIS APCH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED TOUCHDOWN AT LESS THAN MAX LNDG WT. CHICAGO APCH THEN TURNED US TOWARD ARPT AND ASKED US TO RPT FIELD IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 22L. THIS SAVED ABOUT 8 MINS OF FLYING TIME AND RESULTED IN A LNDG WT POSSIBLY 500 LBS OVER MAX LNDG WT LIMIT. WE REPORTED POSSIBLE OVERWT LNDG TO MAINT AND THEY CONCLUDED NO INSPECTION WAS REQUIRED BASED ON WT AND RATE OF DSCNT AT TOUCHDOWN. WE WERE NOT AWARE FORWARD CARGO DOOR WAS OPEN WHILE INFLT AND ELECTED TO RETURN DUE TO PRESSURIZATION PROB AND UNUSUAL NOISE. FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT DOOR INDICATION SYS WAS DEFERRED PER MEL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE ACFT INVOLVED WAS A CRJ700. REPORTER STATED THAT THE INOP INDICATOR REQUIRED A VISUAL INSPECTION FOR SECURITY PRIOR TO FLT. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE REPORTER AND GND PERSONNEL. AFTER THE ACFT RETURNED; THE DOOR WAS DISCOVERED TO BE FULLY OPEN. THE LATCHES WERE INSPECTED; AND THEY APPEARED TO BE OUT OF RIG.

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.