Narrative:

Took off from erie, on climbout at 3000' MSL the aft cargo light illuminated. It was a short flight at 10000'. The aircraft operated normally. After normal landing at pit and parked at the gate, we were informed of a bag on the runway. Presumably it was from our jet. On the ground, the mechanic checked the door and light as working normal. During flight, the aircraft did not pressurize and the ACARS did not transmit our gate times, which would raise a question about the integrity of the door being closed. If the door were possibly open but not indicating maybe a hands on check by ground personnel would help. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: callback conversation revealed that the reporter is quite sure the cargo door was not secure and they did not see the door light when completing the checklist. In the air a cabin attendant said she heard a strange noise and the aircraft could not be pressurized. The reason they continued to destination was that the airport WX minimums were below landing minimums at the time of takeoff and their filed takeoff alternate was farther away than their des. Heavy braking after landing contributed to a bag being dropped on the runway. Unofficial airline policy is to make the first turnoff after landing and again schedule pressure is a factor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG MADE TKOF WITH CARGO DOOR NOT SECURED. CONTINUED TO DESCEND BELOW 10000' UNPRESSURIZED.

Narrative: TOOK OFF FROM ERIE, ON CLIMBOUT AT 3000' MSL THE AFT CARGO LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IT WAS A SHORT FLT AT 10000'. THE ACFT OPERATED NORMALLY. AFTER NORMAL LNDG AT PIT AND PARKED AT THE GATE, WE WERE INFORMED OF A BAG ON THE RWY. PRESUMABLY IT WAS FROM OUR JET. ON THE GND, THE MECHANIC CHECKED THE DOOR AND LIGHT AS WORKING NORMAL. DURING FLT, THE ACFT DID NOT PRESSURIZE AND THE ACARS DID NOT XMIT OUR GATE TIMES, WHICH WOULD RAISE A QUESTION ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE DOOR BEING CLOSED. IF THE DOOR WERE POSSIBLY OPEN BUT NOT INDICATING MAYBE A HANDS ON CHECK BY GND PERSONNEL WOULD HELP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: CALLBACK CONVERSATION REVEALED THAT THE REPORTER IS QUITE SURE THE CARGO DOOR WAS NOT SECURE AND THEY DID NOT SEE THE DOOR LIGHT WHEN COMPLETING THE CHECKLIST. IN THE AIR A CAB SAID SHE HEARD A STRANGE NOISE AND THE ACFT COULD NOT BE PRESSURIZED. THE REASON THEY CONTINUED TO DEST WAS THAT THE ARPT WX MINIMUMS WERE BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS AT THE TIME OF TKOF AND THEIR FILED TKOF ALTERNATE WAS FARTHER AWAY THAN THEIR DES. HEAVY BRAKING AFTER LNDG CONTRIBUTED TO A BAG BEING DROPPED ON THE RWY. UNOFFICIAL AIRLINE POLICY IS TO MAKE THE FIRST TURNOFF AFTER LNDG AND AGAIN SCHEDULE PRESSURE IS A FACTOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.