A320 flight crew advised during taxi out that a fuselage panel was open.

Attributes
ACN	697527
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad.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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	697527
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

After a 40 min delay for bag-loading; we taxied to runway 30. As we took the runway for takeoff; an air carrier Y behind us told the tower we had a door panel open near the tail of the aircraft. We taxied off the runway and back to gate. The ground crew at the gate found the lavatory service door open. After the door was closed and the aircraft refueled; we departed. I'm concerned that the multilayer system of aircraft checks prior to departure broke down allowing the possibility of aircraft damage to occur if we had departed with the door open.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW ADVISED DURING TAXI OUT THAT A FUSELAGE PANEL WAS OPEN.

Narrative: AFTER A 40 MIN DELAY FOR BAG-LOADING; WE TAXIED TO RWY 30. AS WE TOOK THE RWY FOR TKOF; AN ACR Y BEHIND US TOLD THE TWR WE HAD A DOOR PANEL OPEN NEAR THE TAIL OF THE ACFT. WE TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND BACK TO GATE. THE GND CREW AT THE GATE FOUND THE LAVATORY SVC DOOR OPEN. AFTER THE DOOR WAS CLOSED AND THE ACFT REFUELED; WE DEPARTED. I'M CONCERNED THAT THE MULTILAYER SYS OF ACFT CHKS PRIOR TO DEP BROKE DOWN ALLOWING THE POSSIBILITY OF ACFT DAMAGE TO OCCUR IF WE HAD DEPARTED WITH THE DOOR OPEN.

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.