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A B737-700 captain reports the carrier's cockpit door security methods could prevent use of the emergency exit escape panels.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 540494 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200203 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
I have a concern about the way the seat belt is attached to forward side of the cockpit door with the ends wrapped in various degrees of knots. My concern is if I needed to release the belt in a timely manner for whatever reason, it would not be possible, particularly in the dark. The loose ends need to be secured better. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the present method of securing the cockpit door is only an interim fix until new type doors are designed and built up by the manufacturer. The reporter said the new doors may not be available for a long period of time and the system in use now is unsafe. The reporter stated in darkness finding and releasing the knots would be difficult.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-700 CAPT RPTS THE CARRIER'S COCKPIT DOOR SECURITY METHODS COULD PREVENT USE OF THE EMER EXIT ESCAPE PANELS.
Narrative: I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE WAY THE SEAT BELT IS ATTACHED TO FORWARD SIDE OF THE COCKPIT DOOR WITH THE ENDS WRAPPED IN VARIOUS DEGREES OF KNOTS. MY CONCERN IS IF I NEEDED TO RELEASE THE BELT IN A TIMELY MANNER FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY IN THE DARK. THE LOOSE ENDS NEED TO BE SECURED BETTER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE PRESENT METHOD OF SECURING THE COCKPIT DOOR IS ONLY AN INTERIM FIX UNTIL NEW TYPE DOORS ARE DESIGNED AND BUILT UP BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE RPTR SAID THE NEW DOORS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND THE SYS IN USE NOW IS UNSAFE. THE RPTR STATED IN DARKNESS FINDING AND RELEASING THE KNOTS WOULD BE DIFFICULT.
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.