B767-400 captain accidentally turned off the standby electrical switch, instead of the fortified coc...

Attributes
ACN	571526
Time
Date	200301
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	571526
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was flying one of the first of our B767-400 aircraft to be equipped with the new secure cockpit door. The first officer had gone to the back. I was sitting there in my full face oxygen mask thinking that when the first officer called to return, I needed to select cabin microphone to be able to talk to him. He called and I selected cabin attendant microphone and answered him. I then reselected microphone for VHF #1 and heard him knock. I reached up to unlock the door, but instead turned the standby electrical power switch to off. The autoplt and automatic throttles disengaged. I immediately realized what I had done and returned the standby power switch to automatic. I manually took control of the aircraft and moved the cockpit door switch to unlock. Boy did I feel foolish! The new cockpit door controller is just above the standby power switch and both switches are similar. The thing that disturbs me the most about this incident is the captain's inboard display was inoperative for the remainder of the flight after the power interruption. At the least, I feel the crew bulletin describing the operation of the cockpit door controller should warn of the close proximity and similarity of the two switches. Needless to say, I should make sure the switch I have selected is the correct switch.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-400 CAPT ACCIDENTALLY TURNED OFF THE STANDBY ELECTRICAL SWITCH, INSTEAD OF THE FORTIFIED COCKPIT DOOR UNLOCK SWITCH. THE COCKPIT DOOR SWITCH IS JUST ABOVE THE STANDBY POWER ELECTRICAL SWITCH AND BOTH ARE OF SIMILAR DESIGN.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ONE OF THE FIRST OF OUR B767-400 ACFT TO BE EQUIPPED WITH THE NEW SECURE COCKPIT DOOR. THE FO HAD GONE TO THE BACK. I WAS SITTING THERE IN MY FULL FACE OXYGEN MASK THINKING THAT WHEN THE FO CALLED TO RETURN, I NEEDED TO SELECT CABIN MIC TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO HIM. HE CALLED AND I SELECTED CAB MIC AND ANSWERED HIM. I THEN RESELECTED MIC FOR VHF #1 AND HEARD HIM KNOCK. I REACHED UP TO UNLOCK THE DOOR, BUT INSTEAD TURNED THE STANDBY ELECTRICAL POWER SWITCH TO OFF. THE AUTOPLT AND AUTO THROTTLES DISENGAGED. I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE AND RETURNED THE STANDBY POWER SWITCH TO AUTO. I MANUALLY TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT AND MOVED THE COCKPIT DOOR SWITCH TO UNLOCK. BOY DID I FEEL FOOLISH! THE NEW COCKPIT DOOR CTLR IS JUST ABOVE THE STANDBY POWER SWITCH AND BOTH SWITCHES ARE SIMILAR. THE THING THAT DISTURBS ME THE MOST ABOUT THIS INCIDENT IS THE CAPT'S INBOARD DISPLAY WAS INOP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT AFTER THE POWER INTERRUPTION. AT THE LEAST, I FEEL THE CREW BULLETIN DESCRIBING THE OP OF THE COCKPIT DOOR CTLR SHOULD WARN OF THE CLOSE PROXIMITY AND SIMILARITY OF THE TWO SWITCHES. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I SHOULD MAKE SURE THE SWITCH I HAVE SELECTED IS THE CORRECT SWITCH.

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.

B767-400 captain accidentally turned off the standby electrical switch, instead of the fortified cockpit door unlock switch. The cockpit door switch is just above the standby power electrical switch and both are of similar design.