A DC9-30 main entrance door was improperly repaired causing difficulty opening the door from the ins...

Attributes
ACN	375150
Time
Date	199707
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	375150
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During a routine inspection, a small crack was found in the outer skin of this DC9's main entry door. The crack radiated from the upper aft corner of the outer door handle cutout and extended for about 1 inch. A temporary patch was installed over the damaged area in accordance with the DC9 structural repair manual utilizing standard and approved sheet metal practices. An operational check of the door was accomplished prior to the aircraft being returned to service. A problem was reported when the aircraft arrived at its first destination when the crew had trouble opening the main entry door from the inside. The flight was delayed for about 1 hour as a third party mechanic (no company mechanic at station) was called in to fix the problem. His signoff stated that he reshaped the patch that was just installed. I cannot see how the repair patch we installed in any way obstructed the door's operating mechanism. As previously stated, the door was opened and closed a number of times without a problem during an operational check prior to the aircraft's release.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 MAIN ENTRANCE DOOR WAS IMPROPERLY REPAIRED CAUSING DIFFICULTY OPENING THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE.

Narrative: DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, A SMALL CRACK WAS FOUND IN THE OUTER SKIN OF THIS DC9'S MAIN ENTRY DOOR. THE CRACK RADIATED FROM THE UPPER AFT CORNER OF THE OUTER DOOR HANDLE CUTOUT AND EXTENDED FOR ABOUT 1 INCH. A TEMPORARY PATCH WAS INSTALLED OVER THE DAMAGED AREA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DC9 STRUCTURAL REPAIR MANUAL UTILIZING STANDARD AND APPROVED SHEET METAL PRACTICES. AN OPERATIONAL CHK OF THE DOOR WAS ACCOMPLISHED PRIOR TO THE ACFT BEING RETURNED TO SVC. A PROB WAS RPTED WHEN THE ACFT ARRIVED AT ITS FIRST DEST WHEN THE CREW HAD TROUBLE OPENING THE MAIN ENTRY DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. THE FLT WAS DELAYED FOR ABOUT 1 HR AS A THIRD PARTY MECH (NO COMPANY MECH AT STATION) WAS CALLED IN TO FIX THE PROB. HIS SIGNOFF STATED THAT HE RESHAPED THE PATCH THAT WAS JUST INSTALLED. I CANNOT SEE HOW THE REPAIR PATCH WE INSTALLED IN ANY WAY OBSTRUCTED THE DOOR'S OPERATING MECHANISM. AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, THE DOOR WAS OPENED AND CLOSED A NUMBER OF TIMES WITHOUT A PROB DURING AN OPERATIONAL CHK PRIOR TO THE ACFT'S RELEASE.

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 DC9-30 main entrance door was improperly repaired causing difficulty opening the door from the inside.