B757 departs gate with lavatory service panel still open.

Attributes
ACN	674306
Time
Date	200510
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	674306
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

We pushed 5 mins late due to late cargo loading. As we were taxiing to runway 1R for departure; a B767 abeam us told sfo ground that it looked like our aft lavatory service panel was hanging open. We had to taxi all the way back to the ramp area; abeam gate X; to get it closed (it really was open). With all the delays involved; it took 56 mins from initial push until we took off. When I did the walkaround prior to the flight; I remember the panel being open. However; this is not unusual; as the lavatories are usually not svced before my walkaround. I very strongly suspect that it was never closed before we pushed; and that the push supervisor failed to do a proper safety check of the aircraft prior to the push. It cost air carrier the extra fuel burned by all the taxiing; as well as numerous missed international connections to ord since we ended up arriving 40 mins late. Additionally; an unsecured panel is always a safety hazard. If the air carrier Y crew had not said anything; we probably would have unwittingly damaged the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 DEPARTS GATE WITH LAVATORY SVC PANEL STILL OPEN.

Narrative: WE PUSHED 5 MINS LATE DUE TO LATE CARGO LOADING. AS WE WERE TAXIING TO RWY 1R FOR DEP; A B767 ABEAM US TOLD SFO GND THAT IT LOOKED LIKE OUR AFT LAVATORY SVC PANEL WAS HANGING OPEN. WE HAD TO TAXI ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE RAMP AREA; ABEAM GATE X; TO GET IT CLOSED (IT REALLY WAS OPEN). WITH ALL THE DELAYS INVOLVED; IT TOOK 56 MINS FROM INITIAL PUSH UNTIL WE TOOK OFF. WHEN I DID THE WALKAROUND PRIOR TO THE FLT; I REMEMBER THE PANEL BEING OPEN. HOWEVER; THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL; AS THE LAVATORIES ARE USUALLY NOT SVCED BEFORE MY WALKAROUND. I VERY STRONGLY SUSPECT THAT IT WAS NEVER CLOSED BEFORE WE PUSHED; AND THAT THE PUSH SUPVR FAILED TO DO A PROPER SAFETY CHK OF THE ACFT PRIOR TO THE PUSH. IT COST ACR THE EXTRA FUEL BURNED BY ALL THE TAXIING; AS WELL AS NUMEROUS MISSED INTL CONNECTIONS TO ORD SINCE WE ENDED UP ARRIVING 40 MINS LATE. ADDITIONALLY; AN UNSECURED PANEL IS ALWAYS A SAFETY HAZARD. IF THE ACR Y CREW HAD NOT SAID ANYTHING; WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE UNWITTINGLY DAMAGED THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.