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Air carrier large transport captain allowed passenger in cockpit during cruise resulting in the first officer complaint and the captain with second thoughts.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 503440 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200003 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zab.artcc |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl single value : 39000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10750 flight time type : 1100 |
| ASRS Report | 503440 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 503438 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | cabin event other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
During the cruise phase of flight, I allowed a passenger to enter the cockpit. The event started when a passenger posed a question to me during an exchange with the flight attendant which required the cockpit door to be open. I thought it best if the passenger step inside the cockpit to answer her question thus allowing access to the forward restroom which the open cockpit door blocks. Shortly thereafter, the passenger returned to the cabin. In hindsight, relaxing the cockpit entry procedure was not the best decision. My actions were influenced by not seeing the passenger as a threat (she was in her 70's) and wanting to respond personally to her concerns. In-flight security and possible distraction are the reasons for limited cockpit access recurrent training cover this subject well and I consider my actions an isolated event.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR LGT CAPT ALLOWED PAX IN COCKPIT DURING CRUISE RESULTING IN THE FO COMPLAINT AND THE CAPT WITH SECOND THOUGHTS.
Narrative: DURING THE CRUISE PHASE OF FLT, I ALLOWED A PAX TO ENTER THE COCKPIT. THE EVENT STARTED WHEN A PAX POSED A QUESTION TO ME DURING AN EXCHANGE WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT WHICH REQUIRED THE COCKPIT DOOR TO BE OPEN. I THOUGHT IT BEST IF THE PAX STEP INSIDE THE COCKPIT TO ANSWER HER QUESTION THUS ALLOWING ACCESS TO THE FORWARD RESTROOM WHICH THE OPEN COCKPIT DOOR BLOCKS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PAX RETURNED TO THE CABIN. IN HINDSIGHT, RELAXING THE COCKPIT ENTRY PROC WAS NOT THE BEST DECISION. MY ACTIONS WERE INFLUENCED BY NOT SEEING THE PAX AS A THREAT (SHE WAS IN HER 70'S) AND WANTING TO RESPOND PERSONALLY TO HER CONCERNS. INFLT SECURITY AND POSSIBLE DISTR ARE THE REASONS FOR LIMITED COCKPIT ACCESS RECURRENT TRAINING COVER THIS SUBJECT WELL AND I CONSIDER MY ACTIONS AN ISOLATED EVENT.
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.