While holding at skunk intersection, a B737-300 flight crew is surprised when a female passenger att...

Attributes
ACN	467692
Time
Date	200003
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : oak.vor
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	467692
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

While in extensive holding at skunk intersection for ATC delays to sfo, I notified the passenger that we might have to divert to sjc or oak. A few mins later, the first officer and I heard the 'secret knock' on the cockpit door, so we unlocked the door. We turned around to face the door and were surprised to see a young female passenger standing at the doorway she had just opened. This female passenger then said to us 'you can't do this to us.' the first officer and I told her to shut the door and go back to her seat. She repeated 'you can't do this to us.' the first officer and I repeated our command to go back to her seat, which then she complied with. When we arrived at sfo, our customer service representatives called the local police who met the aircraft and the female passenger on the jetway for questioning. Suggested corrective actions: 1) the FAA should publish and display, in public view at all major airports, the consequences and penalties for interference with flight crew members. This will educate and remind the flying public that interfering with crew members will not be tolerated. 2) airlines that use 'the secret knock' on the cockpit door for entrance into the cockpit should think of other ways to make it tougher for unauthorized individuals to access the cockpit. Ideas might include: issue cockpit door keys only to authority/authorized personnel. Require the person wanting to come into the cockpit to use the interphone to identify themselves before entering the cockpit. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: captain did not know much more about the backgnd of this 19 yr old girl. She had been sitting in first class with her friend and simply knocked on the door, the knocks sounding like the 'secret signal.' the police later took her to be interrogated by the fbi, so the event was not treated lightly. In her defense, the young lady said that there was 'no sign on the door that prohibited an entry.' the captain said that was correct.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE HOLDING AT SKUNK INTXN, A B737-300 FLC IS SURPRISED WHEN A FEMALE PAX ATTAINS ACCESS TO THE COCKPIT USING THE 'SECRET KNOCK' AND COMPLAINS OF THE POSSIBLE DIVERSION TO SJC OR OAK, CA, THAT HAD BEEN ANNOUNCED ON THE PA.

Narrative: WHILE IN EXTENSIVE HOLDING AT SKUNK INTXN FOR ATC DELAYS TO SFO, I NOTIFIED THE PAX THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO DIVERT TO SJC OR OAK. A FEW MINS LATER, THE FO AND I HEARD THE 'SECRET KNOCK' ON THE COCKPIT DOOR, SO WE UNLOCKED THE DOOR. WE TURNED AROUND TO FACE THE DOOR AND WERE SURPRISED TO SEE A YOUNG FEMALE PAX STANDING AT THE DOORWAY SHE HAD JUST OPENED. THIS FEMALE PAX THEN SAID TO US 'YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO US.' THE FO AND I TOLD HER TO SHUT THE DOOR AND GO BACK TO HER SEAT. SHE REPEATED 'YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO US.' THE FO AND I REPEATED OUR COMMAND TO GO BACK TO HER SEAT, WHICH THEN SHE COMPLIED WITH. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT SFO, OUR CUSTOMER SVC REPRESENTATIVES CALLED THE LCL POLICE WHO MET THE ACFT AND THE FEMALE PAX ON THE JETWAY FOR QUESTIONING. SUGGESTED CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: 1) THE FAA SHOULD PUBLISH AND DISPLAY, IN PUBLIC VIEW AT ALL MAJOR ARPTS, THE CONSEQUENCES AND PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH FLC MEMBERS. THIS WILL EDUCATE AND REMIND THE FLYING PUBLIC THAT INTERFERING WITH CREW MEMBERS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. 2) AIRLINES THAT USE 'THE SECRET KNOCK' ON THE COCKPIT DOOR FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE COCKPIT SHOULD THINK OF OTHER WAYS TO MAKE IT TOUGHER FOR UNAUTH INDIVIDUALS TO ACCESS THE COCKPIT. IDEAS MIGHT INCLUDE: ISSUE COCKPIT DOOR KEYS ONLY TO AUTH PERSONNEL. REQUIRE THE PERSON WANTING TO COME INTO THE COCKPIT TO USE THE INTERPHONE TO IDENT THEMSELVES BEFORE ENTERING THE COCKPIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CAPT DID NOT KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT THE BACKGND OF THIS 19 YR OLD GIRL. SHE HAD BEEN SITTING IN FIRST CLASS WITH HER FRIEND AND SIMPLY KNOCKED ON THE DOOR, THE KNOCKS SOUNDING LIKE THE 'SECRET SIGNAL.' THE POLICE LATER TOOK HER TO BE INTERROGATED BY THE FBI, SO THE EVENT WAS NOT TREATED LIGHTLY. IN HER DEFENSE, THE YOUNG LADY SAID THAT THERE WAS 'NO SIGN ON THE DOOR THAT PROHIBITED AN ENTRY.' THE CAPT SAID THAT WAS CORRECT.

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.

While holding at skunk intersection, a B737-300 flight crew is surprised when a female passenger attains access to the cockpit using the 'secret knock' and complains of the possible diversion to sjc or oak, ca, that had been announced on the PA.