A B767 first officer, while in cruise, violated the cockpit two person rule, by leaving the cockpit ...

Attributes
ACN	543260
Time
Date	200203
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2892
ASRS Report	543260
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	543272
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I accidentally violated the 2 person rule for the cockpit when at cruise altitude. I left the cockpit to use the lav. As soon as the door closed, I realized that I had slipped back into old habits, and turned to open it regretfully had to call the captain to apologize and allow the flight attendant to access in my absence. Call the flight attendant to ensure the area was clear, saw the captain was already wearing his mask, and left without thinking. I think it was a case of being lulled into complacency and falling into old habits. A beautiful morning, last leg of the trip, and going into vacation afterwards. Supplemental information from acn 543272: first officer indicated need to use restroom, I told him I had the aircraft and put my mask on. I noticed he called flight attendant on interphone, and assumed he was coordinating cockpit entry to satisfy two person rule. I heard him leave, but did not hear anyone enter the cockpit behind him. When I turned around, I found that he had locked the flight attendant out of the cockpit. It was a simple mistake, and we immediately coordinated access for the flight attendant so we could have two people in the cockpit. I had not noticed as he left, as my attention was directed to flying the aircraft. Perhaps I should have been more proactive.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 FO, WHILE IN CRUISE, VIOLATED THE COCKPIT TWO PERSON RULE, BY LEAVING THE COCKPIT WITHOUT ASSIGNING A FLT ATTENDANT TO REMAIN IN HIS ABSENCE.

Narrative: I ACCIDENTALLY VIOLATED THE 2 PERSON RULE FOR THE COCKPIT WHEN AT CRUISE ALTITUDE. I LEFT THE COCKPIT TO USE THE LAV. AS SOON AS THE DOOR CLOSED, I REALIZED THAT I HAD SLIPPED BACK INTO OLD HABITS, AND TURNED TO OPEN IT REGRETFULLY HAD TO CALL THE CAPT TO APOLOGIZE AND ALLOW THE FA TO ACCESS IN MY ABSENCE. CALL THE FLT ATTENDANT TO ENSURE THE AREA WAS CLR, SAW THE CAPT WAS ALREADY WEARING HIS MASK, AND LEFT WITHOUT THINKING. I THINK IT WAS A CASE OF BEING LULLED INTO COMPLACENCY AND FALLING INTO OLD HABITS. A BEAUTIFUL MORNING, LAST LEG OF THE TRIP, AND GOING INTO VACATION AFTERWARDS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 543272: FO INDICATED NEED TO USE RESTROOM, I TOLD HIM I HAD THE ACFT AND PUT MY MASK ON. I NOTICED HE CALLED FLT ATTENDANT ON INTERPHONE, AND ASSUMED HE WAS COORDINATING COCKPIT ENTRY TO SATISFY TWO PERSON RULE. I HEARD HIM LEAVE, BUT DID NOT HEAR ANYONE ENTER THE COCKPIT BEHIND HIM. WHEN I TURNED AROUND, I FOUND THAT HE HAD LOCKED THE FLT ATTENDANT OUT OF THE COCKPIT. IT WAS A SIMPLE MISTAKE, AND WE IMMEDIATELY COORDINATED ACCESS FOR THE FLT ATTENDANT SO WE COULD HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THE COCKPIT. I HAD NOT NOTICED AS HE LEFT, AS MY ATTENTION WAS DIRECTED TO FLYING THE ACFT. PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PROACTIVE.

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.

A B767 first officer, while in cruise, violated the cockpit two person rule, by leaving the cockpit without assigning a flight attendant to remain in his absence.