MD80 crew had a cargo door warning illuminate on takeoff roll.

Attributes
ACN	467827
Time
Date	200003
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	467827
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During takeoff roll, the mid cargo door 'open' light came on in the cockpit. As the aircraft climbed and pressurized, the door light went out. This is very common on the MD80 because of the proximity switch used to operation the door warning light. When we arrived in cle we asked maintenance to check the door switch. Shortly after arrival we were informed that the door had been closed down but not latched. In essence slightly open. The door is a plug type door and that's why the light went out during climb out. I had always thought that if door wasn't latched, the light would stay on. I have learned today, this is not true. It is frightening to know that there is no positive way to determine the status of the door from the cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD A CARGO DOOR WARNING ILLUMINATE ON TKOF ROLL.

Narrative: DURING TKOF ROLL, THE MID CARGO DOOR 'OPEN' LIGHT CAME ON IN THE COCKPIT. AS THE ACFT CLBED AND PRESSURIZED, THE DOOR LIGHT WENT OUT. THIS IS VERY COMMON ON THE MD80 BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY SWITCH USED TO OP THE DOOR WARNING LIGHT. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN CLE WE ASKED MAINT TO CHECK THE DOOR SWITCH. SHORTLY AFTER ARR WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE DOOR HAD BEEN CLOSED DOWN BUT NOT LATCHED. IN ESSENCE SLIGHTLY OPEN. THE DOOR IS A PLUG TYPE DOOR AND THAT'S WHY THE LIGHT WENT OUT DURING CLBOUT. I HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IF DOOR WASN'T LATCHED, THE LIGHT WOULD STAY ON. I HAVE LEARNED TODAY, THIS IS NOT TRUE. IT IS FRIGHTENING TO KNOW THAT THERE IS NO POSITIVE WAY TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THE DOOR FROM THE COCKPIT.

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.