Narrative:

As we advanced power for takeoff, the captain's side window slid open about 3 inches. We immediately discontinued the takeoff roll and taxied clear of the runway. At that point all of the window locking levers and the 'closed' index were in the closed position. However, the rear portion of the window was not flush with the aircraft side wall. There was a 3 inch gap and the over center piston was not at 90 degree position. We were unable to close the window, so we went back to the ramp and had maintenance fix it. The mechanic needed to physically push outward on the rear of the window while cranking the window closed with the closing lever. The significant of this incident is that the normal window indications can all show closed, but in fact the rear of the window not be seated properly! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter had responded to the checklist challenge of windows, 'closed and locked.' he had verified 'closed' by looking up at the upper inside portion of the window and observing the 'closed' indicator. He had verified the 'locked' by pushing on the forward handle lock lever. He now states that he should also have observed the rear piston for the over center position that would confirm that the rear portion of the window was closed as well. He further stated that most of the 757's that he has flown have windows that will close completely just by pushing on the locking lever. A very few require the pilot to push on the rear portion to insure that it is in the closed position. This was one of those aircraft. He further stated that this had been a ferry flight and that the ground crews had been all over the aircraft, with many switches out of the normal position. He felt that the ground crew had opened and then closed the window, improperly. The window anomaly was not demonstrated for him during his IOE time. He accepted this incident as a 'learning curve.' the reporter is a human factors analyst when he's not flying with the air carrier.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TKOF ABORTED IN B-757 AS PIC REALIZES THAT HIS COCKPIT SLIDING WINDOW IS NOT PROPERLY AND FULLY CLOSED.

Narrative: AS WE ADVANCED PWR FOR TKOF, THE CAPT'S SIDE WINDOW SLID OPEN ABOUT 3 INCHES. WE IMMEDIATELY DISCONTINUED THE TKOF ROLL AND TAXIED CLR OF THE RWY. AT THAT POINT ALL OF THE WINDOW LOCKING LEVERS AND THE 'CLOSED' INDEX WERE IN THE CLOSED POS. HOWEVER, THE REAR PORTION OF THE WINDOW WAS NOT FLUSH WITH THE ACFT SIDE WALL. THERE WAS A 3 INCH GAP AND THE OVER CTR PISTON WAS NOT AT 90 DEG POS. WE WERE UNABLE TO CLOSE THE WINDOW, SO WE WENT BACK TO THE RAMP AND HAD MAINT FIX IT. THE MECH NEEDED TO PHYSICALLY PUSH OUTWARD ON THE REAR OF THE WINDOW WHILE CRANKING THE WINDOW CLOSED WITH THE CLOSING LEVER. THE SIGNIFICANT OF THIS INCIDENT IS THAT THE NORMAL WINDOW INDICATIONS CAN ALL SHOW CLOSED, BUT IN FACT THE REAR OF THE WINDOW NOT BE SEATED PROPERLY! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR HAD RESPONDED TO THE CHKLIST CHALLENGE OF WINDOWS, 'CLOSED AND LOCKED.' HE HAD VERIFIED 'CLOSED' BY LOOKING UP AT THE UPPER INSIDE PORTION OF THE WINDOW AND OBSERVING THE 'CLOSED' INDICATOR. HE HAD VERIFIED THE 'LOCKED' BY PUSHING ON THE FORWARD HANDLE LOCK LEVER. HE NOW STATES THAT HE SHOULD ALSO HAVE OBSERVED THE REAR PISTON FOR THE OVER CTR POS THAT WOULD CONFIRM THAT THE REAR PORTION OF THE WINDOW WAS CLOSED AS WELL. HE FURTHER STATED THAT MOST OF THE 757'S THAT HE HAS FLOWN HAVE WINDOWS THAT WILL CLOSE COMPLETELY JUST BY PUSHING ON THE LOCKING LEVER. A VERY FEW REQUIRE THE PLT TO PUSH ON THE REAR PORTION TO INSURE THAT IT IS IN THE CLOSED POS. THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE ACFT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THIS HAD BEEN A FERRY FLT AND THAT THE GND CREWS HAD BEEN ALL OVER THE ACFT, WITH MANY SWITCHES OUT OF THE NORMAL POS. HE FELT THAT THE GND CREW HAD OPENED AND THEN CLOSED THE WINDOW, IMPROPERLY. THE WINDOW ANOMALY WAS NOT DEMONSTRATED FOR HIM DURING HIS IOE TIME. HE ACCEPTED THIS INCIDENT AS A 'LEARNING CURVE.' THE RPTR IS A HUMAN FACTORS ANALYST WHEN HE'S NOT FLYING WITH THE ACR.

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.