A door light was incorrectly listed and operated as an MEL item. The actual problem (an unsecured pa...

Attributes
ACN	312037
Time
Date	199508
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 98 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iah tracon : rca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	312037
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	312340
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Overnight aircraft called in equipment door light 'on.' went to aircraft and found common equipment door open, closed door checked with flight crew if light was out. Crew responded after looking at overhead with thumbs-up indicating light was out. Later crew called again saying light was 'on' again. Went to aircraft and reopened door and reclosed common equipment door. Crew indicated light still 'on.' inspected door found latches to be ok. Called maintenance control for MEL. Door light placed on MEL as being inoperative. Aircraft dispatched, called back with pressurization problem, and decided to return to iah. After investigating, found forward east&east door ajar. Maintenance closed door after checking latches, both doors operate single door light. Supplemental information from acn 312340: at takeoff, front east&east door opened. No pressurization, and extreme air flow noise in cockpit. We air returned with ATC assistance. I was unable to understand ATC instructions because of noise level. We were given 2000 ft. Apparently I thought the instructions were to maintain below 2000 ft. We were given 2 frequency, and 2 heading changes that were very difficult to understand. Landed back at iah ok.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DOOR LIGHT WAS INCORRECTLY LISTED AND OPERATED AS AN MEL ITEM. THE ACTUAL PROB (AN UNSECURED PANEL) LED TO A RETURN LAND AS A RESULT OF AN INABILITY TO PRESSURIZE.

Narrative: OVERNIGHT ACFT CALLED IN EQUIP DOOR LIGHT 'ON.' WENT TO ACFT AND FOUND COMMON EQUIP DOOR OPEN, CLOSED DOOR CHKED WITH FLC IF LIGHT WAS OUT. CREW RESPONDED AFTER LOOKING AT OVERHEAD WITH THUMBS-UP INDICATING LIGHT WAS OUT. LATER CREW CALLED AGAIN SAYING LIGHT WAS 'ON' AGAIN. WENT TO ACFT AND REOPENED DOOR AND RECLOSED COMMON EQUIP DOOR. CREW INDICATED LIGHT STILL 'ON.' INSPECTED DOOR FOUND LATCHES TO BE OK. CALLED MAINT CTL FOR MEL. DOOR LIGHT PLACED ON MEL AS BEING INOP. ACFT DISPATCHED, CALLED BACK WITH PRESSURIZATION PROB, AND DECIDED TO RETURN TO IAH. AFTER INVESTIGATING, FOUND FORWARD E&E DOOR AJAR. MAINT CLOSED DOOR AFTER CHKING LATCHES, BOTH DOORS OPERATE SINGLE DOOR LIGHT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 312340: AT TKOF, FRONT E&E DOOR OPENED. NO PRESSURIZATION, AND EXTREME AIR FLOW NOISE IN COCKPIT. WE AIR RETURNED WITH ATC ASSISTANCE. I WAS UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND ATC INSTRUCTIONS BECAUSE OF NOISE LEVEL. WE WERE GIVEN 2000 FT. APPARENTLY I THOUGHT THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO MAINTAIN BELOW 2000 FT. WE WERE GIVEN 2 FREQ, AND 2 HDG CHANGES THAT WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. LANDED BACK AT IAH OK.

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.

A door light was incorrectly listed and operated as an MEL item. The actual problem (an unsecured panel) led to a return land as a result of an inability to pressurize.