Takeoff aborted when cargo door warning light illuminates.

Attributes
ACN	171707
Time
Date	199102
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tpa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	171707
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After flight was pushed from the gate, the forward cargo door was opened and more bags puts on. We then went to the de-ice pad to get the wings sprayed because a light snow shower had just ended. Moon was now visible. After de-ice, we taxied ot runway 28R. Copilot was flying and I was checking INS after power advance. About 60 or 70 KTS the first officer said we had a cargo door open. I looked up and saw the light. I still had my hand on the power levers (I removed them prior to V1). We had plenty of runway (28R-10000'), so I aborted the takeoff. We easily made one of the high speeds with light braking. The light went out and I determined the door could not be opened, so we taxied out and departed. Everything normal. I recently read that I should be prepared to answer some 'pointed' questions from the FAA. I don't think that the treat of answering 'pointed' questions from the FAA should enter into a decision on how to safely conduct a flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TKOF ABORTED WHEN CARGO DOOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES.

Narrative: AFTER FLT WAS PUSHED FROM THE GATE, THE FORWARD CARGO DOOR WAS OPENED AND MORE BAGS PUTS ON. WE THEN WENT TO THE DE-ICE PAD TO GET THE WINGS SPRAYED BECAUSE A LIGHT SNOW SHOWER HAD JUST ENDED. MOON WAS NOW VISIBLE. AFTER DE-ICE, WE TAXIED OT RWY 28R. COPLT WAS FLYING AND I WAS CHKING INS AFTER PWR ADVANCE. ABOUT 60 OR 70 KTS THE F/O SAID WE HAD A CARGO DOOR OPEN. I LOOKED UP AND SAW THE LIGHT. I STILL HAD MY HAND ON THE PWR LEVERS (I REMOVED THEM PRIOR TO V1). WE HAD PLENTY OF RWY (28R-10000'), SO I ABORTED THE TKOF. WE EASILY MADE ONE OF THE HIGH SPDS WITH LIGHT BRAKING. THE LIGHT WENT OUT AND I DETERMINED THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED, SO WE TAXIED OUT AND DEPARTED. EVERYTHING NORMAL. I RECENTLY READ THAT I SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ANSWER SOME 'POINTED' QUESTIONS FROM THE FAA. I DON'T THINK THAT THE TREAT OF ANSWERING 'POINTED' QUESTIONS FROM THE FAA SHOULD ENTER INTO A DECISION ON HOW TO SAFELY CONDUCT A FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.