Fortified cockpit door on MD80 opened on takeoff rotation, resecured by #1 flight attendant when saf...

Attributes
ACN	574135
Time
Date	200302
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	574135
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 4
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft FAA
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

When we arrived at the airplane an FAA inspector met us and advised us that he would be performing a routine route inspection. We pushed from the gate and started the engines. I called ground for taxi instructions and we began to taxi. The tower controller cleared us into position and then for take-off. The acceleration was normal. On rotation the cockpit door opened. After we reached a safe altitude the #1 flight attendant reached over and closed the door. During the flight the FAA inspector questioned us about the door and asked if we were going to make a logbook entry on arrival in st.louis. It was then the captain advised me that there had been a logbook entry on a previous flight. The fact that the captain knew about this previous logbook entry and did not ask me to review the minimum equipment list, led me to believe that we were in compliance with all requirements and had complied with all procedures. There was some discussion about the new doors on the MD80 and the fact that some are prone to open on rotation and our instructions were to make a logbook entry so they could be fixed. Again, the fact that the new doors were prone to open and the captain did not ask to review the MEL further led me to believe he had encountered this item in the recent past and was familiar with the procedure and the limitations. The flight attendants have also been advised to verify the door is secure prior to taking their seats for take-off. At no time was the door locking mechanism or any part of the door not working.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FORTIFIED COCKPIT DOOR ON MD80 OPENED ON TAKEOFF ROTATION, RESECURED BY #1 FLT ATTENDANT WHEN SAFE TO DO SO. FAA INSPECTOR IN COCKPIT DISCUSSED LOG BOOK ENTRIES WITH FLC.

Narrative: WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE AIRPLANE AN FAA INSPECTOR MET US AND ADVISED US THAT HE WOULD BE PERFORMING A ROUTINE RTE INSPECTION. WE PUSHED FROM THE GATE AND STARTED THE ENGINES. I CALLED GND FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND WE BEGAN TO TAXI. THE TWR CTLR CLRED US INTO POSITION AND THEN FOR TAKE-OFF. THE ACCELERATION WAS NORMAL. ON ROTATION THE COCKPIT DOOR OPENED. AFTER WE REACHED A SAFE ALT THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT REACHED OVER AND CLOSED THE DOOR. DURING THE FLT THE FAA INSPECTOR QUESTIONED US ABOUT THE DOOR AND ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY ON ARR IN ST.LOUIS. IT WAS THEN THE CAPT ADVISED ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN A LOGBOOK ENTRY ON A PREVIOUS FLT. THE FACT THAT THE CAPT KNEW ABOUT THIS PREVIOUS LOGBOOK ENTRY AND DID NOT ASK ME TO REVIEW THE MINIMUM EQUIP LIST, LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT WE WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS AND HAD COMPLIED WITH ALL PROCS. THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE NEW DOORS ON THE MD80 AND THE FACT THAT SOME ARE PRONE TO OPEN ON ROTATION AND OUR INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY SO THEY COULD BE FIXED. AGAIN, THE FACT THAT THE NEW DOORS WERE PRONE TO OPEN AND THE CAPT DID NOT ASK TO REVIEW THE MEL FURTHER LED ME TO BELIEVE HE HAD ENCOUNTERED THIS ITEM IN THE RECENT PAST AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCEDURE AND THE LIMITATIONS. THE FLT ATTENDANTS HAVE ALSO BEEN ADVISED TO VERIFY THE DOOR IS SECURE PRIOR TO TAKING THEIR SEATS FOR TAKE-OFF. AT NO TIME WAS THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM OR ANY PART OF THE DOOR NOT WORKING.

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.

Fortified cockpit door on MD80 opened on takeoff rotation, resecured by #1 flight attendant when safe to do so. FAA inspector in cockpit discussed log book entries with flight crew.