Cargo lost from open cargo door after takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	187083
Time
Date	199108
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gcc
State Reference	WY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 31000
ASRS Report	187083
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

How to prevent? Don't depend on copilot. Fix door light warning system. Walk around before every departure. The following is a report of an incident at gcc wherein cargo was lost from an open cargo bay on takeoff. On departure gcc tower advised objects dropped from aircraft. At this time there were no warning lights illuminated in the cockpit to indicate that a cargo compartment door was open. Aircraft returned to gcc and company notified. I asked the so if he had unloaded the pods. He said no, only 4 boxes from the cabin. This gcc cargo loaded at the last moment in denver and all except 4 large boxes were placed in pods. On arrival gcc the first time I went to the far side of the aircraft and unlocked the pod doors. Freight had not arrived. Went into terminal to use bathroom. Coming out met coming in. Asked if freight had everything and he said yes. Reboarded and took off. This was a double failure, 1) on my part as captain, and 2) the baggage door light warning system was inoperative, a fact unknown by this crew. I regret this occurrence to our good customers, but must point out that in 8 yrs of 135 freight flying this is the first time I have ever lost a piece of freight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARGO LOST FROM OPEN CARGO DOOR AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: HOW TO PREVENT? DON'T DEPEND ON COPLT. FIX DOOR LIGHT WARNING SYS. WALK AROUND BEFORE EVERY DEP. THE FOLLOWING IS A RPT OF AN INCIDENT AT GCC WHEREIN CARGO WAS LOST FROM AN OPEN CARGO BAY ON TKOF. ON DEP GCC TWR ADVISED OBJECTS DROPPED FROM ACFT. AT THIS TIME THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED IN THE COCKPIT TO INDICATE THAT A CARGO COMPARTMENT DOOR WAS OPEN. ACFT RETURNED TO GCC AND COMPANY NOTIFIED. I ASKED THE SO IF HE HAD UNLOADED THE PODS. HE SAID NO, ONLY 4 BOXES FROM THE CABIN. THIS GCC CARGO LOADED AT THE LAST MOMENT IN DENVER AND ALL EXCEPT 4 LARGE BOXES WERE PLACED IN PODS. ON ARR GCC THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE ACFT AND UNLOCKED THE POD DOORS. FREIGHT HAD NOT ARRIVED. WENT INTO TERMINAL TO USE BATHROOM. COMING OUT MET COMING IN. ASKED IF FREIGHT HAD EVERYTHING AND HE SAID YES. REBOARDED AND TOOK OFF. THIS WAS A DOUBLE FAILURE, 1) ON MY PART AS CAPT, AND 2) THE BAGGAGE DOOR LIGHT WARNING SYS WAS INOP, A FACT UNKNOWN BY THIS CREW. I REGRET THIS OCCURRENCE TO OUR GOOD CUSTOMERS, BUT MUST POINT OUT THAT IN 8 YRS OF 135 FREIGHT FLYING THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER LOST A PIECE OF FREIGHT.

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.