A320 captain reported concern about an MEL on the fleet that allows aircraft to be dispatched with t...

Attributes
ACN	1261588
Time
Date	201505
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	EWR.Airport
State Reference	NJ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Cockpit Door
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 240 Flight Crew Total 27000 Flight Crew Type 4700
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural MEL

Narrative:

This aircraft had a history of keypad cockpit door chime failures. The keypad had been replaced earlier in the day. Upon arrival to the airplane I tested the cockpit door chime and it failed to ring. Maintenance was called where the technician advised he was going to MEL the door chime which required the removal of power to the entire keypad. So; with power removed from the keypad emergency access to the cockpit is inhibited. There would be no way to enter the cockpit should there be an incapacitation of both crew members. There is no key access in this design on the airbus. This MEL on the airbus should be eliminated. With it; a flight deck crew is sealed off from the cabin without an option for emergency access should the need arise. I would have refused this aircraft had the technician not been able to fix the chime; resulting in this MEL being applied.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 Captain reported concern about an MEL on the fleet that allows aircraft to be dispatched with the cockpit access keypad inoperative; since that would preclude any emergency access to the cockpit.

Narrative: This aircraft had a history of keypad cockpit door chime failures. The keypad had been replaced earlier in the day. Upon arrival to the airplane I tested the cockpit door chime and it failed to ring. Maintenance was called where the Technician advised he was going to MEL the door chime which required the removal of power to the entire keypad. So; with power removed from the keypad emergency access to the cockpit is inhibited. There would be no way to enter the cockpit should there be an incapacitation of both crew members. There is no key access in this design on the Airbus. This MEL on the Airbus should be eliminated. With it; a flight deck crew is sealed off from the cabin without an option for emergency access should the need arise. I would have refused this aircraft had the Technician not been able to fix the chime; resulting in this MEL being applied.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

A320 captain reported concern about an MEL on the fleet that allows aircraft to be dispatched with the cockpit access keypad inoperative; since that would preclude any emergency access to the cockpit.