Reporter protests company policy and MEL allowing cockpit to cabin interphone to be inoperative for ...

Attributes
ACN	196621
Time
Date	199112
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bil
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	196621
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This situation was not a problem on this flight but it well could have been! Among the 8 deferred items for this flight was an inoperative cockpit to cabin flight interphone. Sfo line maintenance stated that this was a legal deferral per the MEL. Our annual security tapes make a point that discrete conversation between the cockpit and cabin is very important in a hijacking situation. The tape also advises to keep the hijacker out of the cockpit. If this flight had been that unlucky one-in-a-million flight I would have had no choice but to invite the hijacker to the cockpit because the flight attendants and I were unable to talk except by them entering the cockpit. My recommendation is that if company and the FAA truly wish to maximize its preparations for hijacking that the MEL be reviewed with an eye toward security as well as safety. As a side note this aircraft had set overnight and could easily have been fixed before this departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR PROTESTS COMPANY POLICY AND MEL ALLOWING COCKPIT TO CABIN INTERPHONE TO BE INOP FOR FLT.

Narrative: THIS SITUATION WAS NOT A PROBLEM ON THIS FLT BUT IT WELL COULD HAVE BEEN! AMONG THE 8 DEFERRED ITEMS FOR THIS FLT WAS AN INOP COCKPIT TO CABIN FLT INTERPHONE. SFO LINE MAINT STATED THAT THIS WAS A LEGAL DEFERRAL PER THE MEL. OUR ANNUAL SECURITY TAPES MAKE A POINT THAT DISCRETE CONVERSATION BTWN THE COCKPIT AND CABIN IS VERY IMPORTANT IN A HIJACKING SITUATION. THE TAPE ALSO ADVISES TO KEEP THE HIJACKER OUT OF THE COCKPIT. IF THIS FLT HAD BEEN THAT UNLUCKY ONE-IN-A-MILLION FLT I WOULD HAVE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO INVITE THE HIJACKER TO THE COCKPIT BECAUSE THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND I WERE UNABLE TO TALK EXCEPT BY THEM ENTERING THE COCKPIT. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT IF COMPANY AND THE FAA TRULY WISH TO MAXIMIZE ITS PREPARATIONS FOR HIJACKING THAT THE MEL BE REVIEWED WITH AN EYE TOWARD SECURITY AS WELL AS SAFETY. AS A SIDE NOTE THIS ACFT HAD SET OVERNIGHT AND COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN FIXED BEFORE THIS DEP.

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.

Reporter protests company policy and MEL allowing cockpit to cabin interphone to be inoperative for flight.