Narrative:

During routine maintenance on may/wed/02 at about XC30, I was carrying out my check. Being at door 3L, to check for slide raft pressure, I just cracked open the door handle with disarm-arm level in disarm position and the slide raft deployed. Prior to accidental slide raft deployment, I checked for all doors to be in disarm position and also carried out girt bar operation and mode select lever for arm and disarm position. Since I am also a runup taxi crew, before picking up the aircraft at the gate, I performed the all door mode select and girt bar operation at gate and taxied the aircraft to hangar for routine maintenance before lunch break at XA30. After lunch, carried out other duties on the same aircraft. Guess I was a little tired. During my overwater check, I could have checked for gauge pressure without opening the door by using a mirror. I had already confirmed all doors were in ground mode, opening the door makes it easier for me to look directly at the gauge instead of using a mirror. I had done this check many, many times to date since my employment at company X. Immediately after accidental deployment of the slide, I reported the matter to my supervisor on duty. Their action was to take me to company medical for alcohol/drug test. I had to write an accident report. This same aircraft was scheduled for sfo-syd flight later in the day. The deployed slide was replaced and all maintenance completed. Aircraft released back to service and made its scheduled flight to XXX with no delays.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON A B747-400, DURING A ROUTINE OVERWATER CHK, DOOR 3L SLIDE WAS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. DOOR WAS OPENED TO CHK DOOR ASSIST BOTTLE PRESSURE.

Narrative: DURING ROUTINE MAINT ON MAY/WED/02 AT ABOUT XC30, I WAS CARRYING OUT MY CHK. BEING AT DOOR 3L, TO CHK FOR SLIDE RAFT PRESSURE, I JUST CRACKED OPEN THE DOOR HANDLE WITH DISARM-ARM LEVEL IN DISARM POS AND THE SLIDE RAFT DEPLOYED. PRIOR TO ACCIDENTAL SLIDE RAFT DEPLOYMENT, I CHKED FOR ALL DOORS TO BE IN DISARM POS AND ALSO CARRIED OUT GIRT BAR OP AND MODE SELECT LEVER FOR ARM AND DISARM POS. SINCE I AM ALSO A RUNUP TAXI CREW, BEFORE PICKING UP THE ACFT AT THE GATE, I PERFORMED THE ALL DOOR MODE SELECT AND GIRT BAR OP AT GATE AND TAXIED THE ACFT TO HANGAR FOR ROUTINE MAINT BEFORE LUNCH BREAK AT XA30. AFTER LUNCH, CARRIED OUT OTHER DUTIES ON THE SAME ACFT. GUESS I WAS A LITTLE TIRED. DURING MY OVERWATER CHK, I COULD HAVE CHKED FOR GAUGE PRESSURE WITHOUT OPENING THE DOOR BY USING A MIRROR. I HAD ALREADY CONFIRMED ALL DOORS WERE IN GND MODE, OPENING THE DOOR MAKES IT EASIER FOR ME TO LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE GAUGE INSTEAD OF USING A MIRROR. I HAD DONE THIS CHK MANY, MANY TIMES TO DATE SINCE MY EMPLOYMENT AT COMPANY X. IMMEDIATELY AFTER ACCIDENTAL DEPLOYMENT OF THE SLIDE, I RPTED THE MATTER TO MY SUPVR ON DUTY. THEIR ACTION WAS TO TAKE ME TO COMPANY MEDICAL FOR ALCOHOL/DRUG TEST. I HAD TO WRITE AN ACCIDENT RPT. THIS SAME ACFT WAS SCHEDULED FOR SFO-SYD FLT LATER IN THE DAY. THE DEPLOYED SLIDE WAS REPLACED AND ALL MAINT COMPLETED. ACFT RELEASED BACK TO SVC AND MADE ITS SCHEDULED FLT TO XXX WITH NO DELAYS.

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.