Narrative:

After training on an aircraft during which the overwing emergency exit doors were removed, maintenance was called to check security of doors after training was completed. Doors were checked and aircraft released for service. Subsequently, after takeoff, aircraft would not pressurize. Aircraft returned and it was found that 1 exit door was not properly installed. To avoid this from happening in the future, the door should be checked for being faired with the outside of the aircraft as well as the interior. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a DC9-30 and was used to conduct flight attendant emergency exit training. The training department closes the doors after the training is completed and maintenance checks the doors for correct installation. He said the problem involves the overwing exits which are difficult to determine if the installation is correct due to interior furnishings fittings so close. The exterior check is best but some doors, even a correctly installed door, will not be exactly flush with the exterior skin.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 RETURNED TO THE FIELD DUE TO BEING UNABLE TO PRESSURIZE THE ACFT CAUSED BY A IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OVERWING EMER EXIT.

Narrative: AFTER TRAINING ON AN ACFT DURING WHICH THE OVERWING EMER EXIT DOORS WERE REMOVED, MAINT WAS CALLED TO CHK SECURITY OF DOORS AFTER TRAINING WAS COMPLETED. DOORS WERE CHKED AND ACFT RELEASED FOR SVC. SUBSEQUENTLY, AFTER TKOF, ACFT WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE. ACFT RETURNED AND IT WAS FOUND THAT 1 EXIT DOOR WAS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED. TO AVOID THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE, THE DOOR SHOULD BE CHKED FOR BEING FAIRED WITH THE OUTSIDE OF THE ACFT AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A DC9-30 AND WAS USED TO CONDUCT FLT ATTENDANT EMER EXIT TRAINING. THE TRAINING DEPT CLOSES THE DOORS AFTER THE TRAINING IS COMPLETED AND MAINT CHKS THE DOORS FOR CORRECT INSTALLATION. HE SAID THE PROB INVOLVES THE OVERWING EXITS WHICH ARE DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE IF THE INSTALLATION IS CORRECT DUE TO INTERIOR FURNISHINGS FITTINGS SO CLOSE. THE EXTERIOR CHK IS BEST BUT SOME DOORS, EVEN A CORRECTLY INSTALLED DOOR, WILL NOT BE EXACTLY FLUSH WITH THE EXTERIOR SKIN.

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.