Flight crew of MD80 took off with external electrical system access door open.

Attributes
ACN	571290
Time
Date	200301
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga.tower
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 : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 18110 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	571290
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : door warning light. cabom different pressure other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : training performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During preflight, did not notice electric compartment (east&east) door open. I was still on IOE for MD80. While completing original checklist, we noticed light for 'east&east' door was illuminated. The captain elected to use ground personnel to visually check condition of the door. The captain asked ground crew 3 times if door was closed. He received answer that the door was closed. When we took off, aircraft would not pressurize. We returned to fll and landed and returned to the gate. The east&east compartment door was found to be open. Contributing factors: 1) since I was new and on IOE, I relied too much on the captain to make the decision instead of insisting that he resolve the door light in a more direct manner. 2) captain could have gone down the jetway stair to check the door himself or sent me to do it. 3) captain is from the caribbean area and his accent may have caused the ground crew to check the wrong door. 4) captain was worried about on time departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MD80 TOOK OFF WITH EXTERNAL ELECTRICAL SYS ACCESS DOOR OPEN.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT, DID NOT NOTICE ELECTRIC COMPARTMENT (E&E) DOOR OPEN. I WAS STILL ON IOE FOR MD80. WHILE COMPLETING ORIGINAL CHKLIST, WE NOTICED LIGHT FOR 'E&E' DOOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CAPT ELECTED TO USE GND PERSONNEL TO VISUALLY CHK CONDITION OF THE DOOR. THE CAPT ASKED GND CREW 3 TIMES IF DOOR WAS CLOSED. HE RECEIVED ANSWER THAT THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. WHEN WE TOOK OFF, ACFT WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE. WE RETURNED TO FLL AND LANDED AND RETURNED TO THE GATE. THE E&E COMPARTMENT DOOR WAS FOUND TO BE OPEN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) SINCE I WAS NEW AND ON IOE, I RELIED TOO MUCH ON THE CAPT TO MAKE THE DECISION INSTEAD OF INSISTING THAT HE RESOLVE THE DOOR LIGHT IN A MORE DIRECT MANNER. 2) CAPT COULD HAVE GONE DOWN THE JETWAY STAIR TO CHK THE DOOR HIMSELF OR SENT ME TO DO IT. 3) CAPT IS FROM THE CARIBBEAN AREA AND HIS ACCENT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE GND CREW TO CHK THE WRONG DOOR. 4) CAPT WAS WORRIED ABOUT ON TIME DEP.

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.