Narrative:

While enroute sna to dfw the captain needed to exit the cockpit to use the lav. We agreed that there were to be no cockpit keys in the cabin and he left his in the cockpit with me. When he called me to return to the cockpit I used the overhead switch and tried to unlock the door. The switch failed and after numerous attempts to unlock the door I unlocked my seat harness and pushed the door open. We were in controlled flight at all times. Other than continuing the flight single pilot we could not see any other way to resolve this problem. In the future I would advise the captain to either take his keys or have a flight attendant in the cockpit until his return. Supplemental information from acn 525279: I'm not the only pilot flying who thinks this is the correct application of the policy. If our interpretation of the policy is wrong a clarification is in order. As I understood it prior to being notified of a possible violation was that 'no' cockpit keys were to be in the cabin during flight. If that is the correct interpretation of the policy I think it should be reconsidered because of the problems that occur if the electric door release system fails. I believe that the policy is no cockpit keys in the cabin during flight. That is how it was explained to me. I understood that to mean 'no' keys, mine included. If that is wrong the policy and briefers should state that no cockpit keys will be in the cabin 'except' for the personal cockpit key of the operating pilots. Something to consider or reconsider about pilots and cockpit key policy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLC RPT ON THE PROBS INVOLVED WITH THE MODIFIED COCKPIT ENTRY PROCS IN USE WHEN NO COCKPIT DOOR KEYS ARE ALLOWED IN THE CABIN OF THE ACFT ON A FLT FROM SNA, CA.

Narrative: WHILE ENROUTE SNA TO DFW THE CAPT NEEDED TO EXIT THE COCKPIT TO USE THE LAV. WE AGREED THAT THERE WERE TO BE NO COCKPIT KEYS IN THE CABIN AND HE LEFT HIS IN THE COCKPIT WITH ME. WHEN HE CALLED ME TO RETURN TO THE COCKPIT I USED THE OVERHEAD SWITCH AND TRIED TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. THE SWITCH FAILED AND AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO UNLOCK THE DOOR I UNLOCKED MY SEAT HARNESS AND PUSHED THE DOOR OPEN. WE WERE IN CONTROLLED FLT AT ALL TIMES. OTHER THAN CONTINUING THE FLT SINGLE PLT WE COULD NOT SEE ANY OTHER WAY TO RESOLVE THIS PROB. IN THE FUTURE I WOULD ADVISE THE CAPT TO EITHER TAKE HIS KEYS OR HAVE A FLT ATTENDANT IN THE COCKPIT UNTIL HIS RETURN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 525279: I'M NOT THE ONLY PLT FLYING WHO THINKS THIS IS THE CORRECT APPLICATION OF THE POLICY. IF OUR INTERPRETATION OF THE POLICY IS WRONG A CLARIFICATION IS IN ORDER. AS I UNDERSTOOD IT PRIOR TO BEING NOTIFIED OF A POSSIBLE VIOLATION WAS THAT 'NO' COCKPIT KEYS WERE TO BE IN THE CABIN DURING FLT. IF THAT IS THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION OF THE POLICY I THINK IT SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED BECAUSE OF THE PROBS THAT OCCUR IF THE ELECTRIC DOOR RELEASE SYSTEM FAILS. I BELIEVE THAT THE POLICY IS NO COCKPIT KEYS IN THE CABIN DURING FLT. THAT IS HOW IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME. I UNDERSTOOD THAT TO MEAN 'NO' KEYS, MINE INCLUDED. IF THAT IS WRONG THE POLICY AND BRIEFERS SHOULD STATE THAT NO COCKPIT KEYS WILL BE IN THE CABIN 'EXCEPT' FOR THE PERSONAL COCKPIT KEY OF THE OPERATING PLTS. SOMETHING TO CONSIDER OR RECONSIDER ABOUT PLTS AND COCKPIT KEY POLICY.

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.