Flight crew of B757-200 hears higher than usual noise at takeoff. The noise becomes louder and more ...

Attributes
ACN	396660
Time
Date	199803
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
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	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	396660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

All ground operations/procedures had been normal up to about 80 KTS on takeoff roll with the first officer performing PF duties. The cockpit noise level became higher than usual but seemed to be associated with high air flow from the air conditioning packs. Once airborne, the noise level became excessive and prevented normal communications between flight deck personnel. At this point, the captain informed the tower it would be necessary to return to phx. The aircraft was slowed to 180 KTS with a climb to 7000 ft MSL. While on downwind, a cursory check of the first officer's sliding side window revealed a slight gap between the back side of the window and the window frame. A visual pattern was flown. Landing and taxi to the gate was normal. After engine shutdown, maintenance personnel came on board and inspected the first officer's side window. Even though still indicating closed and locked, the back portion of the window had opened slightly during takeoff roll which resulted in the excessive noise and loss of pressurization. The window was cycled several times and cleared by maintenance. Possible corrective action: local -- if flight deck windows are opened while the aircraft is released to maintenance, a maintenance supervisor/qualified individual should verify proper window closure or leave the window open (WX permitting) for the aircraft's release to operations. Aircraft manufacturer -- change the design of the window locking handle so that it cannot be moved into the locking slot until the window has been cranked into the fully closed position. In addition, the window 'closed' indicator should remain obscured until the window is completely closed and flush. In the event this situation arises again, there should be an approved procedure which would allow full window closure while airborne without jeopardizing the safety of the crew or passenger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF B757-200 HEARS HIGHER THAN USUAL NOISE AT TKOF. THE NOISE BECOMES LOUDER AND MORE DISTRACTING ONCE AIRBORNE. INSPECTION FINDS THE FO WINDOW HAS A GAP AT THE BACKSIDE. RETURN LAND EXECUTED.

Narrative: ALL GND OPS/PROCS HAD BEEN NORMAL UP TO ABOUT 80 KTS ON TKOF ROLL WITH THE FO PERFORMING PF DUTIES. THE COCKPIT NOISE LEVEL BECAME HIGHER THAN USUAL BUT SEEMED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH AIR FLOW FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING PACKS. ONCE AIRBORNE, THE NOISE LEVEL BECAME EXCESSIVE AND PREVENTED NORMAL COMS BTWN FLT DECK PERSONNEL. AT THIS POINT, THE CAPT INFORMED THE TWR IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO RETURN TO PHX. THE ACFT WAS SLOWED TO 180 KTS WITH A CLB TO 7000 FT MSL. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, A CURSORY CHK OF THE FO'S SLIDING SIDE WINDOW REVEALED A SLIGHT GAP BTWN THE BACK SIDE OF THE WINDOW AND THE WINDOW FRAME. A VISUAL PATTERN WAS FLOWN. LNDG AND TAXI TO THE GATE WAS NORMAL. AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN, MAINT PERSONNEL CAME ON BOARD AND INSPECTED THE FO'S SIDE WINDOW. EVEN THOUGH STILL INDICATING CLOSED AND LOCKED, THE BACK PORTION OF THE WINDOW HAD OPENED SLIGHTLY DURING TKOF ROLL WHICH RESULTED IN THE EXCESSIVE NOISE AND LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION. THE WINDOW WAS CYCLED SEVERAL TIMES AND CLRED BY MAINT. POSSIBLE CORRECTIVE ACTION: LCL -- IF FLT DECK WINDOWS ARE OPENED WHILE THE ACFT IS RELEASED TO MAINT, A MAINT SUPVR/QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL SHOULD VERIFY PROPER WINDOW CLOSURE OR LEAVE THE WINDOW OPEN (WX PERMITTING) FOR THE ACFT'S RELEASE TO OPS. ACFT MANUFACTURER -- CHANGE THE DESIGN OF THE WINDOW LOCKING HANDLE SO THAT IT CANNOT BE MOVED INTO THE LOCKING SLOT UNTIL THE WINDOW HAS BEEN CRANKED INTO THE FULLY CLOSED POS. IN ADDITION, THE WINDOW 'CLOSED' INDICATOR SHOULD REMAIN OBSCURED UNTIL THE WINDOW IS COMPLETELY CLOSED AND FLUSH. IN THE EVENT THIS SIT ARISES AGAIN, THERE SHOULD BE AN APPROVED PROC WHICH WOULD ALLOW FULL WINDOW CLOSURE WHILE AIRBORNE WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING THE SAFETY OF THE CREW OR 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.

Flight crew of B757-200 hears higher than usual noise at takeoff. The noise becomes louder and more distracting once airborne. Inspection finds the first officer window has a gap at the backside. Return land executed.