Captain left overhead panel open and came off aircraft on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	293281
Time
Date	199501
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : fll
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 950 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	293281
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Arrived ewr with freight. Unloaded aircraft and proceeded into the building. Our fuel truck was just pulling up to the aircraft as I was returning to aircraft. Upon arriving back at the aircraft refueling was underway. We were using portable stairs to refuel over wing. Operation completed and I proceeded into the cockpit to obtain our clearance and ATIS. The captain completed the preflight checklist and secured the cabin door. We obtained taxi clearance and moved toward the runway for departure. We were cleared for takeoff. I made the takeoff. After leveling off at approximately 5000 ft, the captain discovered that the overhead hatch behind the cockpit was missing. We immediately returned to ewr and captain advised ny departure that the hatch may be on the runway. We returned to ewr without incident. After discussion with the captain, he said that he had opened the hatch but did not close it. It was just left in place but open. He had forgotten that he had opened it and did not secure it. It was missed on his preflight. We recovered the hatch from ewr port authority/authorized with only minor damage. The hatch was repaired by a mechanic, installed and tested for operation. We departed ewr later, without further incident. Corrective action: if someone opens something, make sure it is all the way open and obvious to see, visually. If you close something, close it completely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT LEFT OVERHEAD PANEL OPEN AND CAME OFF ACFT ON TKOF.

Narrative: ARRIVED EWR WITH FREIGHT. UNLOADED ACFT AND PROCEEDED INTO THE BUILDING. OUR FUEL TRUCK WAS JUST PULLING UP TO THE ACFT AS I WAS RETURNING TO ACFT. UPON ARRIVING BACK AT THE ACFT REFUELING WAS UNDERWAY. WE WERE USING PORTABLE STAIRS TO REFUEL OVER WING. OP COMPLETED AND I PROCEEDED INTO THE COCKPIT TO OBTAIN OUR CLRNC AND ATIS. THE CAPT COMPLETED THE PREFLT CHKLIST AND SECURED THE CABIN DOOR. WE OBTAINED TAXI CLRNC AND MOVED TOWARD THE RWY FOR DEP. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. I MADE THE TKOF. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT APPROX 5000 FT, THE CAPT DISCOVERED THAT THE OVERHEAD HATCH BEHIND THE COCKPIT WAS MISSING. WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO EWR AND CAPT ADVISED NY DEP THAT THE HATCH MAY BE ON THE RWY. WE RETURNED TO EWR WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE CAPT, HE SAID THAT HE HAD OPENED THE HATCH BUT DID NOT CLOSE IT. IT WAS JUST LEFT IN PLACE BUT OPEN. HE HAD FORGOTTEN THAT HE HAD OPENED IT AND DID NOT SECURE IT. IT WAS MISSED ON HIS PREFLT. WE RECOVERED THE HATCH FROM EWR PORT AUTH WITH ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. THE HATCH WAS REPAIRED BY A MECH, INSTALLED AND TESTED FOR OP. WE DEPARTED EWR LATER, WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CORRECTIVE ACTION: IF SOMEONE OPENS SOMETHING, MAKE SURE IT IS ALL THE WAY OPEN AND OBVIOUS TO SEE, VISUALLY. IF YOU CLOSE SOMETHING, CLOSE IT COMPLETELY.

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.