Narrative:

Prior to engine start, procedure requires securing the cockpit door. This procedure was followed and the door indicated 'locked.' after departure, and during climb out, the flight attendant called the flight deck. The captain answered, and after a brief conversation with her, he instructed me to level the aircraft and prepare to return to nashville due to a disturbance in the passenger compartment. During the descent, the captain assumed control of the aircraft. As we were nearing nashville, the flight attendant called the flight deck to ask if we were landing. I replied that we were. The captain took this opportunity to get additional information as to the situation in the cabin. She advised him that the only problem was the cockpit door was open. The door was then secured and the flight continued to its original destination. Apparently, in her initial report to the captain, the flight attendant had simply stated 'turn around.' her intent was for the captain to see the open door, but the captain perceived her comment to mean that the flight was in jeopardy and the aircraft should be turned around and returned to nashville.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 CREW HAD THE NEW FORTIFIED COCKPIT DOOR COME OPEN AFTER TKOF. THE CAPT BEGAN A RETURN TO THE DEP STATION AFTER MISCOM WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT.

Narrative: PRIOR TO ENG START, PROC REQUIRES SECURING THE COCKPIT DOOR. THIS PROC WAS FOLLOWED AND THE DOOR INDICATED 'LOCKED.' AFTER DEP, AND DURING CLBOUT, THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE FLT DECK. THE CAPT ANSWERED, AND AFTER A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH HER, HE INSTRUCTED ME TO LEVEL THE ACFT AND PREPARE TO RETURN TO NASHVILLE DUE TO A DISTURBANCE IN THE PAX COMPARTMENT. DURING THE DSCNT, THE CAPT ASSUMED CTL OF THE ACFT. AS WE WERE NEARING NASHVILLE, THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE FLT DECK TO ASK IF WE WERE LNDG. I REPLIED THAT WE WERE. THE CAPT TOOK THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GET ADDITIONAL INFO AS TO THE SIT IN THE CABIN. SHE ADVISED HIM THAT THE ONLY PROB WAS THE COCKPIT DOOR WAS OPEN. THE DOOR WAS THEN SECURED AND THE FLT CONTINUED TO ITS ORIGINAL DEST. APPARENTLY, IN HER INITIAL RPT TO THE CAPT, THE FLT ATTENDANT HAD SIMPLY STATED 'TURN AROUND.' HER INTENT WAS FOR THE CAPT TO SEE THE OPEN DOOR, BUT THE CAPT PERCEIVED HER COMMENT TO MEAN THAT THE FLT WAS IN JEOPARDY AND THE ACFT SHOULD BE TURNED AROUND AND RETURNED TO NASHVILLE.

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.