The flight crew of an A320 moved the aircraft back 3 ft for alignment with the passenger door after ...

Attributes
ACN	490918
Time
Date	200011
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hgr.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	490918
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

We arrived at gate xa and secured the aircraft. After a few mins, we were notified by customer service that we needed to move the jet back about 3 ft to open the door. The passenger had been up and gathering their belongings for about 5 mins when I made a PA and advised them of the situation. I told them I knew they were already up but we had to move the jet to open the door. The jet was moved back without incident. As I was saying bye to the passenger, 1 passenger asked if I was the captain. I told him I was, and he said we needed to talk. Out in the jetway he idented himself as an FAA employee and told me I had done 'the most stupid thing' by pushing back the jet with people standing. He advised me he will submit a report to FSDO the following monday and that he 'was sorry to ruin my evening.' I made no other statements or comments other than exchanging names. Since we were 1 1/2 hours late, I wanted to get the passenger to the terminal as quickly and safely as possible. After the 1 1/2 hour delay and more delay to open the door, I didn't want to add to frustrations by having the passenger store their belongings and taking their seats so we could push the jet 3-4 ft. I did not believe this was unsafe. There were no other incidents on this flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE FLC OF AN A320 MOVED THE ACFT BACK 3 FT FOR ALIGNMENT WITH THE PAX DOOR AFTER THE ACFT HAD BEEN PARKED AT THE GATE FOR A FEW MINS AND THE PAX WERE UP OUT OF THEIR SEATS GATHERING THEIR CARRY-ON BAGGAGE.

Narrative: WE ARRIVED AT GATE XA AND SECURED THE ACFT. AFTER A FEW MINS, WE WERE NOTIFIED BY CUSTOMER SVC THAT WE NEEDED TO MOVE THE JET BACK ABOUT 3 FT TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE PAX HAD BEEN UP AND GATHERING THEIR BELONGINGS FOR ABOUT 5 MINS WHEN I MADE A PA AND ADVISED THEM OF THE SIT. I TOLD THEM I KNEW THEY WERE ALREADY UP BUT WE HAD TO MOVE THE JET TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE JET WAS MOVED BACK WITHOUT INCIDENT. AS I WAS SAYING BYE TO THE PAX, 1 PAX ASKED IF I WAS THE CAPT. I TOLD HIM I WAS, AND HE SAID WE NEEDED TO TALK. OUT IN THE JETWAY HE IDENTED HIMSELF AS AN FAA EMPLOYEE AND TOLD ME I HAD DONE 'THE MOST STUPID THING' BY PUSHING BACK THE JET WITH PEOPLE STANDING. HE ADVISED ME HE WILL SUBMIT A RPT TO FSDO THE FOLLOWING MONDAY AND THAT HE 'WAS SORRY TO RUIN MY EVENING.' I MADE NO OTHER STATEMENTS OR COMMENTS OTHER THAN EXCHANGING NAMES. SINCE WE WERE 1 1/2 HRS LATE, I WANTED TO GET THE PAX TO THE TERMINAL AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE. AFTER THE 1 1/2 HR DELAY AND MORE DELAY TO OPEN THE DOOR, I DIDN'T WANT TO ADD TO FRUSTRATIONS BY HAVING THE PAX STORE THEIR BELONGINGS AND TAKING THEIR SEATS SO WE COULD PUSH THE JET 3-4 FT. I DID NOT BELIEVE THIS WAS UNSAFE. THERE WERE NO OTHER INCIDENTS ON THIS FLT.

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.

The flight crew of an A320 moved the aircraft back 3 ft for alignment with the passenger door after the aircraft had been parked at the gate for a few mins and the passenger were up out of their seats gathering their carry-on baggage.