An emb 120 was dispatched with the lavatory service door open. Returned to the gate to close.

Attributes
ACN	396116
Time
Date	199803
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	396116
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 420
ASRS Report	396120
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight was delayed due to maintenance performed on lavatory. First officer and I, partly due to other distractions, neglected to do a final walkaround. Just before received our takeoff clearance an alert pilot in line behind us noticed our lavatory service door hanging open and warned us via tower frequency. A ramper closed it for us upon return to the gate, and we continued on our way. The obvious lesson: don't skip that final walkaround after any external servicing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB 120 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE LAVATORY SVC DOOR OPEN. RETURNED TO THE GATE TO CLOSE.

Narrative: FLT WAS DELAYED DUE TO MAINT PERFORMED ON LAVATORY. FO AND I, PARTLY DUE TO OTHER DISTRACTIONS, NEGLECTED TO DO A FINAL WALKAROUND. JUST BEFORE RECEIVED OUR TKOF CLRNC AN ALERT PLT IN LINE BEHIND US NOTICED OUR LAVATORY SVC DOOR HANGING OPEN AND WARNED US VIA TWR FREQ. A RAMPER CLOSED IT FOR US UPON RETURN TO THE GATE, AND WE CONTINUED ON OUR WAY. THE OBVIOUS LESSON: DON'T SKIP THAT FINAL WALKAROUND AFTER ANY EXTERNAL SERVICING.

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.