Medium large transport has bathroom door handle problem. Passenger caught, and unable to get out.

Attributes
ACN	299938
Time
Date	199503
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 14470 flight time type : 4770
ASRS Report	299938
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Just prior to push back, flight attendant came forward with bathroom door knob in her hand. After some discussion, she advised me that she could reattach the knob just by pushing it back on the shaft. I directed her to do just that and to advise me if she had any other problems. En route the knob came off again with a passenger in the bathroom and the passenger couldn't get out. Passenger used call button to attract the flight attendant and she was able to free the lock from the outside. As a side note, the passenger had never flown before, had just graduated from college and it was his birthday! He took the whole thing good naturedly and said he would have quite a story to tell his future grandchildren.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS BATHROOM DOOR HANDLE PROB. PAX CAUGHT, AND UNABLE TO GET OUT.

Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO PUSH BACK, FLT ATTENDANT CAME FORWARD WITH BATHROOM DOOR KNOB IN HER HAND. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, SHE ADVISED ME THAT SHE COULD REATTACH THE KNOB JUST BY PUSHING IT BACK ON THE SHAFT. I DIRECTED HER TO DO JUST THAT AND TO ADVISE ME IF SHE HAD ANY OTHER PROBS. ENRTE THE KNOB CAME OFF AGAIN WITH A PAX IN THE BATHROOM AND THE PAX COULDN'T GET OUT. PAX USED CALL BUTTON TO ATTRACT THE FLT ATTENDANT AND SHE WAS ABLE TO FREE THE LOCK FROM THE OUTSIDE. AS A SIDE NOTE, THE PAX HAD NEVER FLOWN BEFORE, HAD JUST GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AND IT WAS HIS BIRTHDAY! HE TOOK THE WHOLE THING GOOD NATUREDLY AND SAID HE WOULD HAVE QUITE A STORY TO TELL HIS FUTURE GRANDCHILDREN.

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.