Narrative:

Sometimes you just do something really stupid. As per air carrier procedures, the captain went aft to use the lavatory. The aisle was blocked off. A flight attendant came on the flight deck. I had oxygen on. Captain returned, gave password, and I decided we would switch out so I could relieve myself. I made up my mind to expedite going through the door, so as to minimize time with the door open. The captain knocked a second time. Flight attendant did not move to open the door, so I popped up, opened the door, and switched places with the captain. As I left, he said 'that was really dumb.' as I shut the lavatory door, I realized that momentarily no one had been at the controls. The rest of the flight was a blur, as I sat in dazed contemplation of my stupidity. I can't believe I may have ended my career on a brief trip to the lavatory. Fatigue, lack of currency (50 days off prior to this leg), awkward procedures, reliance on automation, biological needs, complacency, and distraction all played roles. I also think the level of distraction and non flying chores in the cockpit have increased since sep/tue/01. Sometimes we forget to fly the airplane, and let the autoplt do it all.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AS ONE B767 CREW MEMBER RELIEVED THE OTHER FOR LAVATORY BREAK, THE FLT CTLS WERE MOMENTARILY LEFT UNATTENDED.

Narrative: SOMETIMES YOU JUST DO SOMETHING REALLY STUPID. AS PER ACR PROCS, THE CAPT WENT AFT TO USE THE LAVATORY. THE AISLE WAS BLOCKED OFF. A FLT ATTENDANT CAME ON THE FLT DECK. I HAD OXYGEN ON. CAPT RETURNED, GAVE PASSWORD, AND I DECIDED WE WOULD SWITCH OUT SO I COULD RELIEVE MYSELF. I MADE UP MY MIND TO EXPEDITE GOING THROUGH THE DOOR, SO AS TO MINIMIZE TIME WITH THE DOOR OPEN. THE CAPT KNOCKED A SECOND TIME. FLT ATTENDANT DID NOT MOVE TO OPEN THE DOOR, SO I POPPED UP, OPENED THE DOOR, AND SWITCHED PLACES WITH THE CAPT. AS I LEFT, HE SAID 'THAT WAS REALLY DUMB.' AS I SHUT THE LAVATORY DOOR, I REALIZED THAT MOMENTARILY NO ONE HAD BEEN AT THE CTLS. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS A BLUR, AS I SAT IN DAZED CONTEMPLATION OF MY STUPIDITY. I CAN'T BELIEVE I MAY HAVE ENDED MY CAREER ON A BRIEF TRIP TO THE LAVATORY. FATIGUE, LACK OF CURRENCY (50 DAYS OFF PRIOR TO THIS LEG), AWKWARD PROCS, RELIANCE ON AUTOMATION, BIOLOGICAL NEEDS, COMPLACENCY, AND DISTR ALL PLAYED ROLES. I ALSO THINK THE LEVEL OF DISTR AND NON FLYING CHORES IN THE COCKPIT HAVE INCREASED SINCE SEP/TUE/01. SOMETIMES WE FORGET TO FLY THE AIRPLANE, AND LET THE AUTOPLT DO IT ALL.

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.