Narrative:

During en route inspection with FAA inspector, I stood next to cabin door while a ramper closed door. I observed him latch door and then I pressed on the door to assure that it was indeed closed. The FAA inspector was in the copilot seat at that time. After I entered through a crew door, I went through the preflight and prestart and start and taxi parts of the checklist. I then called ground and was given taxi clearance. During start up the inspector inquired if I had had problems with doors coming open in flight. I told him 'no.' when we started to taxi he pointed out that the cabin door ajar light was 'on.' I then taxied around to my parking spot and signaled the ramper. I watched over shoulder to the inside of the door. The ramper opened and reshut the lower half of the door only, and the light went out. I was able to see the door latch return all the way up from my seat. Later when the inspector commented on my not seeing the light sooner, I showed him that the warning light check was on the before takeoff, not the before taxi checklist. He later admitted to the chief pilot and the general manager that he was busy in the cockpit and did not see whether or not I made sure that the door was secured (which I did) as required by the before start checklist. He then made the comment that he 'would not write this up.' although nothing has come of this, I fail to see where a violation may have taken place. I followed the checklist to the letter and did not act in a careless or reckless manner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SMT STARTED TO TAXI WITHOUT CHECKING DOOR AJAR LIGHT OUT.

Narrative: DURING ENRTE INSPECTION WITH FAA INSPECTOR, I STOOD NEXT TO CABIN DOOR WHILE A RAMPER CLOSED DOOR. I OBSERVED HIM LATCH DOOR AND THEN I PRESSED ON THE DOOR TO ASSURE THAT IT WAS INDEED CLOSED. THE FAA INSPECTOR WAS IN THE COPLT SEAT AT THAT TIME. AFTER I ENTERED THROUGH A CREW DOOR, I WENT THROUGH THE PREFLT AND PRESTART AND START AND TAXI PARTS OF THE CHKLIST. I THEN CALLED GND AND WAS GIVEN TAXI CLRNC. DURING START UP THE INSPECTOR INQUIRED IF I HAD HAD PROBS WITH DOORS COMING OPEN IN FLT. I TOLD HIM 'NO.' WHEN WE STARTED TO TAXI HE POINTED OUT THAT THE CABIN DOOR AJAR LIGHT WAS 'ON.' I THEN TAXIED AROUND TO MY PARKING SPOT AND SIGNALED THE RAMPER. I WATCHED OVER SHOULDER TO THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR. THE RAMPER OPENED AND RESHUT THE LOWER HALF OF THE DOOR ONLY, AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT. I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE DOOR LATCH RETURN ALL THE WAY UP FROM MY SEAT. LATER WHEN THE INSPECTOR COMMENTED ON MY NOT SEEING THE LIGHT SOONER, I SHOWED HIM THAT THE WARNING LIGHT CHK WAS ON THE BEFORE TKOF, NOT THE BEFORE TAXI CHKLIST. HE LATER ADMITTED TO THE CHIEF PLT AND THE GENERAL MGR THAT HE WAS BUSY IN THE COCKPIT AND DID NOT SEE WHETHER OR NOT I MADE SURE THAT THE DOOR WAS SECURED (WHICH I DID) AS REQUIRED BY THE BEFORE START CHKLIST. HE THEN MADE THE COMMENT THAT HE 'WOULD NOT WRITE THIS UP.' ALTHOUGH NOTHING HAS COME OF THIS, I FAIL TO SEE WHERE A VIOLATION MAY HAVE TAKEN PLACE. I FOLLOWED THE CHKLIST TO THE LETTER AND DID NOT ACT IN A CARELESS OR RECKLESS MANNER.

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.