Air carrier taxies with aft airstairs not locked up.

Attributes
ACN	447418
Time
Date	199908
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	447418
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	447560
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Caution light and return to ord. During taxi, we had an aft stairs door light come on. An aircraft behind us confirmed that our stairs had begun to droop. We stopped, and had ground personnel put the stairs up. He reported that they were up, our light went out and visual sighting out the aft door viewing window also confirmed that they were up. After takeoff, company called us and wanted us to return to ord to clear up any communication misunderstandings. Our landing and taxi in were normal. Maintenance met the aircraft, and confirmed that the stairs were up and locked, and there was no damage to the stairs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TAXIES WITH AFT AIRSTAIRS NOT LOCKED UP.

Narrative: CAUTION LIGHT AND RETURN TO ORD. DURING TAXI, WE HAD AN AFT STAIRS DOOR LIGHT COME ON. AN ACFT BEHIND US CONFIRMED THAT OUR STAIRS HAD BEGUN TO DROOP. WE STOPPED, AND HAD GND PERSONNEL PUT THE STAIRS UP. HE RPTED THAT THEY WERE UP, OUR LIGHT WENT OUT AND VISUAL SIGHTING OUT THE AFT DOOR VIEWING WINDOW ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THEY WERE UP. AFTER TKOF, COMPANY CALLED US AND WANTED US TO RETURN TO ORD TO CLR UP ANY COM MISUNDERSTANDINGS. OUR LNDG AND TAXI IN WERE NORMAL. MAINT MET THE ACFT, AND CONFIRMED THAT THE STAIRS WERE UP AND LOCKED, AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE STAIRS.

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.