Loss of cabin pressure due to an improperly closed door causes large transport to return land.

Attributes
ACN	251993
Time
Date	199309
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	251993
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10200 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	252268
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Took off msp, aircraft would not pressurize. Returned to msp. Mechanic found aft left cabin service door closed improperly. Top latches seated giving door closed indication in cockpit. Bottom latches seated inside of door frame allowed bottom of door to remain open approximately 1 inch. Caterer had closed door improperly. Incident attributed to caterer not checking door properly (catering truck still in place at door during so walkaround). Also, the design of the doors on large transport aircraft allows a door to remain 'open' with door closed indication. Supplemental information from acn 252268: the door lights were out and tested good. From the inside the door appeared to be closed properly. To prevent this from happening again: 1) we should do the walkarounds after catering has finished, and closed the doors, and 2) catering personnel should have more training to make sure the doors are secure. Supplemental information from acn 251864: consideration should be given to requiring an additional inspection by maintenance on the cockpit after catering.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY CLOSED DOOR CAUSES LGT TO RETURN LAND.

Narrative: TOOK OFF MSP, ACFT WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE. RETURNED TO MSP. MECH FOUND AFT L CABIN SVC DOOR CLOSED IMPROPERLY. TOP LATCHES SEATED GIVING DOOR CLOSED INDICATION IN COCKPIT. BOTTOM LATCHES SEATED INSIDE OF DOOR FRAME ALLOWED BOTTOM OF DOOR TO REMAIN OPEN APPROX 1 INCH. CATERER HAD CLOSED DOOR IMPROPERLY. INCIDENT ATTRIBUTED TO CATERER NOT CHKING DOOR PROPERLY (CATERING TRUCK STILL IN PLACE AT DOOR DURING SO WALKAROUND). ALSO, THE DESIGN OF THE DOORS ON LGT ACFT ALLOWS A DOOR TO REMAIN 'OPEN' WITH DOOR CLOSED INDICATION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 252268: THE DOOR LIGHTS WERE OUT AND TESTED GOOD. FROM THE INSIDE THE DOOR APPEARED TO BE CLOSED PROPERLY. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN: 1) WE SHOULD DO THE WALKAROUNDS AFTER CATERING HAS FINISHED, AND CLOSED THE DOORS, AND 2) CATERING PERSONNEL SHOULD HAVE MORE TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THE DOORS ARE SECURE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 251864: CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO REQUIRING AN ADDITIONAL INSPECTION BY MAINT ON THE COCKPIT AFTER CATERING.

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.