An md-80 captain reports new secure cockpit door failure due to mechanical and electrical faults.

Attributes
ACN	568843
Time
Date	200212
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : cqy.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	568843
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cockpit door other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance Company FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

When the flight attendant brought dinner to the cockpit, the new secure door got stuck in the open position. Repeated attempts to close the door were unsuccessful. I made a PA to inform the passenger and ordered that they could only leave their seat with ok from flight attendant, and that not doing so would constitute a hostile act. I had an extra flight attendant and positioned a male flight attendant on the fwd jumpseat next to the cockpit and had the extra stationed at his normal position. The flight attendant continued to try to close the door until sterile, also unsuccessful. Flight landed without further incident. I have had the new improved door 4 times and have had 3 not work correctly. One would not open and 2 would not close. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated this is the fourth incident of the new secure cockpit door failure. The reporter said in the latest failure a roller was out of a track and prevented the door closure and remained open the entire flight. The reporter stated the last 3 md-80 aircraft flown had the new secure cockpit door swing open when electrical power was switched from ground or auxiliary power to engine power. The reporter said the door is held locked by an electrical solenoid, which becomes de-energized when electrical power is switched allowing the door to swing open.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD-80 CAPT RPTS NEW SECURE COCKPIT DOOR FAILURE DUE TO MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL FAULTS.

Narrative: WHEN THE FLT ATTENDANT BROUGHT DINNER TO THE COCKPIT, THE NEW SECURE DOOR GOT STUCK IN THE OPEN POS. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO CLOSE THE DOOR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. I MADE A PA TO INFORM THE PAX AND ORDERED THAT THEY COULD ONLY LEAVE THEIR SEAT WITH OK FROM FLT ATTENDANT, AND THAT NOT DOING SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A HOSTILE ACT. I HAD AN EXTRA FLT ATTENDANT AND POSITIONED A MALE FLT ATTENDANT ON THE FWD JUMPSEAT NEXT TO THE COCKPIT AND HAD THE EXTRA STATIONED AT HIS NORMAL POS. THE FLT ATTENDANT CONTINUED TO TRY TO CLOSE THE DOOR UNTIL STERILE, ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL. FLT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I HAVE HAD THE NEW IMPROVED DOOR 4 TIMES AND HAVE HAD 3 NOT WORK CORRECTLY. ONE WOULD NOT OPEN AND 2 WOULD NOT CLOSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THIS IS THE FOURTH INCIDENT OF THE NEW SECURE COCKPIT DOOR FAILURE. THE RPTR SAID IN THE LATEST FAILURE A ROLLER WAS OUT OF A TRACK AND PREVENTED THE DOOR CLOSURE AND REMAINED OPEN THE ENTIRE FLT. THE RPTR STATED THE LAST 3 MD-80 ACFT FLOWN HAD THE NEW SECURE COCKPIT DOOR SWING OPEN WHEN ELECTRICAL PWR WAS SWITCHED FROM GND OR AUX PWR TO ENG PWR. THE RPTR SAID THE DOOR IS HELD LOCKED BY AN ELECTRICAL SOLENOID, WHICH BECOMES DE-ENERGIZED WHEN ELECTRICAL PWR IS SWITCHED ALLOWING THE DOOR TO SWING OPEN.

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.