CARGO DOOR WAS OPENED AFTER THE ENGS WERE STARTED TO LOAD LAST MIN BAGGAGE ON AN LTT TURBOPROP.

Narrative

ON JAN/XX/96; FLT XX (READING); WE THE CREW WERE TOLD OF LATE BAGGAGE DUE TO A BROKEN DOWN BAGGAGE TRUCK AND 2 BAGGAGE HANDLERS WERE SHARING A TRUCK; THUS A LATE DEP. A PAX BOARDED LATE AND WE DID NOTIFY (VIA COMPANY RADIO) TO REMOVE ANY CHKED BAGS SHE MAY HAVE. THE LATE ARRIVING BAGGAGE TRUCK PULLED UP TO THE ACFT AND LOADED UP. SINCE WE HAVE NO GND MARSHALLERS; THE ONLY WAY WE HAVE KNOWING THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT IS CLOSED IS A RED CAUTION DOORS LIGHT IS OUT. IF IT'S ON; WE CAN CHK THE 'PAGE' AND SEE WHICH DOOR IS NOT CLOSED. THE DOOR LIGHT WAS OUT (NOT ILLUMINATED); THE REQUIRED WT AND BAL AND FLT RELEASE PAPERWORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND HANDED TO THE GATE AGENT. SHE WAVED GOOD-BYE AND WALKED INSIDE. BECAUSE OF OUR COMPANY MANDATED (NO MARSHALLER) SELF-STARTING; THE AREAS AROUND THE PROP AND ENGS ARE VERIFIED CLR BEFORE EACH ENG START. AFTER COMPLYING WITH ALL CHKLISTS (WHICH INCLUDES VERIFYING THE DOOR LIGHT IS OUT); WE STARTED THE ENGS. DURING ENG STARTING; WE SHUT DOWN THE APU (WHICH ALSO HAS A CHKLIST). AFTER THE SECOND ENG IS STARTED; WE DO SEE A DOORS LIGHT AND A GATE AGENT COMES OUTSIDE TO MOUTH SOMETHING WE GUESSED LOOKED LIKE 'MORE BAGS AND CUT ENGS.' AS WE BEGAN TO RUN THROUGH THE CHKLIST TO SHUT DOWN AND RESTART THE APU START CHKLIST; THE DOORS LIGHT DOES GO OUT AND A BAGGAGE HANDLER APPEARS AT THE GATE. THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT IS OUT OF THE LINE OF SIGHT FROM THE COCKPIT SO WE DO NOT KNOW AT WHAT POINT DURING THE START PROCESS THE DOOR WAS OPENED. ALSO; DURING ENGS STARTS THERE ARE NORMAL CHIMES (AURAL SOUNDS) WHICH WE ALWAYS HEAR. BASICALLY WE ARE MONITORING THE GAUGES AT THIS POINT AND LISTENING FOR ONLY A FIREBELL. THE ISSUE IS THE BAGGAGE HANDLER SHOULDN'T BE OPENING ANY BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT ON ANY ACFT DURING ANY TIME ENGS ARE RUNNING. A GND MARSHALLER WOULD ALSO ENHANCE SAFETY.