A passenger on a beech model 1900 air carrier noticed that the oil access door was open on the top o...

Attributes
ACN	367853
Time
Date	199705
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmh
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 0 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 0
ASRS Report	367853
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a flight from cmh to rdu, just prior to taxi, I glanced out the right window of the aircraft and noticed that the oil access panel on top of the right engine was unfastened. I left my seat and went forward to the cockpit, tapped the first officer on the shoulder, and pointed out the problem. The flight crew shut down both engines, and the first officer went around to the right side of the aircraft and secured the oil access door. On reboarding the aircraft, the first officer thanked me for the help, and made a brief announcement to the passenger explaining what had happened. The explanation given was that 'vibration' had made the door pop open. (The probable cause was inadequate preflight and failure to secure the latches.) this was a minor incident with little adverse safety potential. The most interesting aspect to me, because my job is in aviation safety, was the difficulty I experienced making myself bring the problem to the pilots' attention. I went through a 2 min debate with myself after the initial engine start about whether to 'bother' the flight crew. The possibility of losing engine oil from a loose oil cap and having to shut down the engine is what finally got me moving. I should have acted sooner. Maybe there needs to be CRM for passenger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PAX ON A BEECH MODEL 1900 ACR NOTICED THAT THE OIL ACCESS DOOR WAS OPEN ON THE TOP OF THE R ENG JUST PRIOR TO TAXI. WHEN CALLED TO THE FLC'S ATTN, THE ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN AND THE FO DEPLANED THE ACFT AND CLOSED THE DOOR.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM CMH TO RDU, JUST PRIOR TO TAXI, I GLANCED OUT THE R WINDOW OF THE ACFT AND NOTICED THAT THE OIL ACCESS PANEL ON TOP OF THE R ENG WAS UNFASTENED. I LEFT MY SEAT AND WENT FORWARD TO THE COCKPIT, TAPPED THE FO ON THE SHOULDER, AND POINTED OUT THE PROB. THE FLC SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGS, AND THE FO WENT AROUND TO THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT AND SECURED THE OIL ACCESS DOOR. ON REBOARDING THE ACFT, THE FO THANKED ME FOR THE HELP, AND MADE A BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX EXPLAINING WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE EXPLANATION GIVEN WAS THAT 'VIBRATION' HAD MADE THE DOOR POP OPEN. (THE PROBABLE CAUSE WAS INADEQUATE PREFLT AND FAILURE TO SECURE THE LATCHES.) THIS WAS A MINOR INCIDENT WITH LITTLE ADVERSE SAFETY POTENTIAL. THE MOST INTERESTING ASPECT TO ME, BECAUSE MY JOB IS IN AVIATION SAFETY, WAS THE DIFFICULTY I EXPERIENCED MAKING MYSELF BRING THE PROB TO THE PLTS' ATTN. I WENT THROUGH A 2 MIN DEBATE WITH MYSELF AFTER THE INITIAL ENG START ABOUT WHETHER TO 'BOTHER' THE FLC. THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING ENG OIL FROM A LOOSE OIL CAP AND HAVING TO SHUT DOWN THE ENG IS WHAT FINALLY GOT ME MOVING. I SHOULD HAVE ACTED SOONER. MAYBE THERE NEEDS TO BE CRM FOR PAX.

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.

A passenger on a beech model 1900 air carrier noticed that the oil access door was open on the top of the right engine just prior to taxi. When called to the flight crew's attention, the engines were shut down and the first officer deplaned the aircraft and closed the door.