Light transport has door warning light activate after takeoff. Since intermittent, flight continues.

Attributes
ACN	232877
Time
Date	199302
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bhm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 2000 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm tracon : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	232877
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During climb out we received a door warning light. We determined that it was a faulty indication because it was intermittent. We consulted the checklists but they didn't apply. Company procedures allow for us to continue if a problem arises after departure providing it is deferrable per the MEL. In this case it was. Before we reached our cruise altitude the light went out and remained out for almost an hour. Then it came back on so we wrote up the discrepancy in the maintenance log and notified maintenance when we were in radio range. Before we landed the light went out again. Maintenance readjusted the fuel door latch and fixed the problem. This is a very common problem on the light transport. The indicating system and the fuel doors should be redesigned. The checklists need to be modified to help in this sort of situation. FAA approved company procedures call for you to continue if the discrepancy is deferrable. This could lead a well-intended pilot to violate the FARS depending on the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT HAS DOOR WARNING LIGHT ACTIVATE AFTER TKOF. SINCE INTERMITTENT, FLT CONTINUES.

Narrative: DURING CLB OUT WE RECEIVED A DOOR WARNING LIGHT. WE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A FAULTY INDICATION BECAUSE IT WAS INTERMITTENT. WE CONSULTED THE CHKLISTS BUT THEY DIDN'T APPLY. COMPANY PROCS ALLOW FOR US TO CONTINUE IF A PROB ARISES AFTER DEP PROVIDING IT IS DEFERRABLE PER THE MEL. IN THIS CASE IT WAS. BEFORE WE REACHED OUR CRUISE ALT THE LIGHT WENT OUT AND REMAINED OUT FOR ALMOST AN HR. THEN IT CAME BACK ON SO WE WROTE UP THE DISCREPANCY IN THE MAINT LOG AND NOTIFIED MAINT WHEN WE WERE IN RADIO RANGE. BEFORE WE LANDED THE LIGHT WENT OUT AGAIN. MAINT READJUSTED THE FUEL DOOR LATCH AND FIXED THE PROB. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROB ON THE LTT. THE INDICATING SYS AND THE FUEL DOORS SHOULD BE REDESIGNED. THE CHKLISTS NEED TO BE MODIFIED TO HELP IN THIS SORT OF SIT. FAA APPROVED COMPANY PROCS CALL FOR YOU TO CONTINUE IF THE DISCREPANCY IS DEFERRABLE. THIS COULD LEAD A WELL-INTENDED PLT TO VIOLATE THE FARS DEPENDING ON THE SIT.

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.