B757 returns to field after cabin door opens in-flight in ZLC airspace.

Attributes
ACN	415866
Time
Date	199810
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hve
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32000 msl bound upper : 32000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc tracon : slc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	415866
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On climb out from slc, encountered moderate turbulence for several mins over the mountains to the east. As we were leveling off on top in light chop, got a 'left aft entry door' EICAS message and associated door light. Cabin pressure was normal. A few mins later, a flight attendant called and said the door handle was up slightly and would not stay down. The message and light blinked off and on as she attempted to stow the handle. A descent to MEA was initiated as was called for in the abnormal procedure with a handle that will not close. After talking to the dispatcher, a return to slc was initiated. En route to slc, the head flight attendant attempted to disarm the door slide but could not. He also suggested that with the light passenger load, those nearest the door could be moved. This was accomplished. About 15 mi final and 6500 ft with aircraft depressurized as called for, a flight attendant called excitedly and said the door had opened. An emergency was declared thinking the slide might or may have deployed. There was also some discussion as to the whereabouts of 1 flight attendant. Continued to a normal landing and after clearing the runway the fire department confirmed the door area looked normal. The first officer was able to close the door and disarm the slide. Taxied to the gate. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the missing cabin attendant was located on board. He also states that the door probably opened because of the depressurization called for in the abnormal procedure. Maintenance had recently worked on this door because of previous door handle problems. Once the door opened, the captain elected to repressurize the aircraft slightly in order to keep pressure on the door. The reporter states that he has approached the company to change this procedure (ie, do not depressurize), and they are discussing the change with the manufacturer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 RETURNS TO FIELD AFTER CABIN DOOR OPENS INFLT IN ZLC AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM SLC, ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB FOR SEVERAL MINS OVER THE MOUNTAINS TO THE E. AS WE WERE LEVELING OFF ON TOP IN LIGHT CHOP, GOT A 'L AFT ENTRY DOOR' EICAS MESSAGE AND ASSOCIATED DOOR LIGHT. CABIN PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. A FEW MINS LATER, A FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND SAID THE DOOR HANDLE WAS UP SLIGHTLY AND WOULD NOT STAY DOWN. THE MESSAGE AND LIGHT BLINKED OFF AND ON AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO STOW THE HANDLE. A DSCNT TO MEA WAS INITIATED AS WAS CALLED FOR IN THE ABNORMAL PROC WITH A HANDLE THAT WILL NOT CLOSE. AFTER TALKING TO THE DISPATCHER, A RETURN TO SLC WAS INITIATED. ENRTE TO SLC, THE HEAD FLT ATTENDANT ATTEMPTED TO DISARM THE DOOR SLIDE BUT COULD NOT. HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT WITH THE LIGHT PAX LOAD, THOSE NEAREST THE DOOR COULD BE MOVED. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED. ABOUT 15 MI FINAL AND 6500 FT WITH ACFT DEPRESSURIZED AS CALLED FOR, A FLT ATTENDANT CALLED EXCITEDLY AND SAID THE DOOR HAD OPENED. AN EMER WAS DECLARED THINKING THE SLIDE MIGHT OR MAY HAVE DEPLOYED. THERE WAS ALSO SOME DISCUSSION AS TO THE WHEREABOUTS OF 1 FLT ATTENDANT. CONTINUED TO A NORMAL LNDG AND AFTER CLRING THE RWY THE FIRE DEPT CONFIRMED THE DOOR AREA LOOKED NORMAL. THE FO WAS ABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND DISARM THE SLIDE. TAXIED TO THE GATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE MISSING CABIN ATTENDANT WAS LOCATED ON BOARD. HE ALSO STATES THAT THE DOOR PROBABLY OPENED BECAUSE OF THE DEPRESSURIZATION CALLED FOR IN THE ABNORMAL PROC. MAINT HAD RECENTLY WORKED ON THIS DOOR BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS DOOR HANDLE PROBS. ONCE THE DOOR OPENED, THE CAPT ELECTED TO REPRESSURIZE THE ACFT SLIGHTLY IN ORDER TO KEEP PRESSURE ON THE DOOR. THE RPTR STATES THAT HE HAS APCHED THE COMPANY TO CHANGE THIS PROC (IE, DO NOT DEPRESSURIZE), AND THEY ARE DISCUSSING THE CHANGE WITH THE MANUFACTURER.

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.