Narrative:

While climbing through FL250, the aft cabin door caution illuminated. Per the aircraft operations manual volume 1, I called for the QRH checklist for aft cabin door light, to which my first officer answered 'there is none,' and he showed me the absence of this item in our QRH. My first action was to check that we were maintaining cabin pressure, which we were. My most recent legs from rno had been to lax, and as lax is on our route, I was 'spring loaded' for J7, even though up to the door light I was correctly tracking J5. Electing to continue as PF, I set the fra 342 degree radial on my side (which is where the error occurred), and had my first officer call the lead flight attendant up to go back and check the door. I instructed her to verify that the handle was fully seated, and to let us know if there was any noise from the door. About 2 mins after she went back, the light went out and did not reilluminate. At this time center queried us as to our routing, which we were now approximately 10 mi west of. We answered J5, and the controller advised us to turn 20 degrees left and proceed direct lax. Having realized the mistaken course setting, I asked the controller if we had any traffic conflict or other problem with him, and he said no. We continued to san uneventfully. The fact that our QRH does not list any procedure for 'open door' lights was quite surprising to me, but as I am current and qualified as a mechanic I could diagnose/fix the problem without difficulty. I believe I was distraction by the fact that such a procedure was nowhere to be found in our checklists.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLC ON AN ACR DC9-80 EXPERIENCES A DEV FROM THE AIRWAY WHEN THE PIC IS DISTR BY AN AFT CABIN DOOR WARNING LIGHT. THEY OVERCOME THAT PROB WHILE ATC GIVES THEM A 'HEADS UP' AS TO THEIR POS.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING THROUGH FL250, THE AFT CABIN DOOR CAUTION ILLUMINATED. PER THE ACFT OPS MANUAL VOLUME 1, I CALLED FOR THE QRH CHKLIST FOR AFT CABIN DOOR LIGHT, TO WHICH MY FO ANSWERED 'THERE IS NONE,' AND HE SHOWED ME THE ABSENCE OF THIS ITEM IN OUR QRH. MY FIRST ACTION WAS TO CHK THAT WE WERE MAINTAINING CABIN PRESSURE, WHICH WE WERE. MY MOST RECENT LEGS FROM RNO HAD BEEN TO LAX, AND AS LAX IS ON OUR RTE, I WAS 'SPRING LOADED' FOR J7, EVEN THOUGH UP TO THE DOOR LIGHT I WAS CORRECTLY TRACKING J5. ELECTING TO CONTINUE AS PF, I SET THE FRA 342 DEG RADIAL ON MY SIDE (WHICH IS WHERE THE ERROR OCCURRED), AND HAD MY FO CALL THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT UP TO GO BACK AND CHK THE DOOR. I INSTRUCTED HER TO VERIFY THAT THE HANDLE WAS FULLY SEATED, AND TO LET US KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY NOISE FROM THE DOOR. ABOUT 2 MINS AFTER SHE WENT BACK, THE LIGHT WENT OUT AND DID NOT REILLUMINATE. AT THIS TIME CTR QUERIED US AS TO OUR ROUTING, WHICH WE WERE NOW APPROX 10 MI W OF. WE ANSWERED J5, AND THE CTLR ADVISED US TO TURN 20 DEGS L AND PROCEED DIRECT LAX. HAVING REALIZED THE MISTAKEN COURSE SETTING, I ASKED THE CTLR IF WE HAD ANY TFC CONFLICT OR OTHER PROB WITH HIM, AND HE SAID NO. WE CONTINUED TO SAN UNEVENTFULLY. THE FACT THAT OUR QRH DOES NOT LIST ANY PROC FOR 'OPEN DOOR' LIGHTS WAS QUITE SURPRISING TO ME, BUT AS I AM CURRENT AND QUALIFIED AS A MECH I COULD DIAGNOSE/FIX THE PROB WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. I BELIEVE I WAS DISTR BY THE FACT THAT SUCH A PROC WAS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND IN OUR CHKLISTS.

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.