Narrative:

Upon initial descent, at approximately 16000' MSL, the F/a called the cockpit. She said that the emergency exit handle was not in the locked position. The exit cover had also popped off. I told her to attempt to move the handle to the locked position. She said she tried, but was unable to move the handle. I told her to move any passenger near the exit to a different seat, which she did. I also told her that the exit door in question might fall into the cabin after landing when the cabin depressurized. We landed and taxied to the gate with no problem. When the aircraft fully depressurized the exit feel into the cabin onto empty passenger seats. No one was hurt since nobody was sitting in that row. I believe the problem was the result of an improperly installed emergency exit. The exit handle cover was in place and safety wired upon inspection of the cabin before the flight. When the handle sprang to the unlocked position, the safety wire was broken. Since the exit is a plug type, I didn't feel that there was any danger of it becoming dislodged in flight. Also since we had already begun our descent, I didn't feel I could leave the cockpit or have the copilot leave the cockpit because of our workload.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC ADVISED CABIN ATTENDANT TO CLEAR OUT THE PASSENGER SEATS OF PASSENGERS AROUND THE AREA OF AN EMERGENCY EXIT DOOR THAT WAS REPORTED TO HAVE AN UNLOCKED HANDLE. SAFETY WIRE WAS BROKEN AND HANDLE COVER WAS OFF.

Narrative: UPON INITIAL DSCNT, AT APPROX 16000' MSL, THE F/A CALLED THE COCKPIT. SHE SAID THAT THE EMER EXIT HANDLE WAS NOT IN THE LOCKED POS. THE EXIT COVER HAD ALSO POPPED OFF. I TOLD HER TO ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE HANDLE TO THE LOCKED POS. SHE SAID SHE TRIED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE HANDLE. I TOLD HER TO MOVE ANY PAX NEAR THE EXIT TO A DIFFERENT SEAT, WHICH SHE DID. I ALSO TOLD HER THAT THE EXIT DOOR IN QUESTION MIGHT FALL INTO THE CABIN AFTER LNDG WHEN THE CABIN DEPRESSURIZED. WE LANDED AND TAXIED TO THE GATE WITH NO PROB. WHEN THE ACFT FULLY DEPRESSURIZED THE EXIT FEEL INTO THE CABIN ONTO EMPTY PAX SEATS. NO ONE WAS HURT SINCE NOBODY WAS SITTING IN THAT ROW. I BELIEVE THE PROB WAS THE RESULT OF AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED EMER EXIT. THE EXIT HANDLE COVER WAS IN PLACE AND SAFETY WIRED UPON INSPECTION OF THE CABIN BEFORE THE FLT. WHEN THE HANDLE SPRANG TO THE UNLOCKED POS, THE SAFETY WIRE WAS BROKEN. SINCE THE EXIT IS A PLUG TYPE, I DIDN'T FEEL THAT THERE WAS ANY DANGER OF IT BECOMING DISLODGED IN FLT. ALSO SINCE WE HAD ALREADY BEGUN OUR DSCNT, I DIDN'T FEEL I COULD LEAVE THE COCKPIT OR HAVE THE COPLT LEAVE THE COCKPIT BECAUSE OF OUR WORKLOAD.

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