A B737-300 at 8000 ft on base leg has report of passenger trapped in aft lavatory. Door handle fell off door and could not be opened. Landed with passenger in lavatory.

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Attributes
ACN	598636
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	598636
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	598634
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : person 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Friday night flight to ZZZ, 137 passenger, with a full moon. The fasten seatbelt sign had been on for the entire 40 min flight because of light chop. Just as we started to turn base leg, the flight attendants called and said that the aft lavatory door handle had fallen off, trapping a passenger in the aft lavatory. They said that part of the latch had fallen down between the door panels, and they and the passenger had tried numerous things but could not open the door. I slowed to approach speed, and told them to keep trying, and I would let them know when we were about 2 mins away from landing. If we couldn't get him out by then, he would have to situation in the lavatory and brace himself on the front of the compartment for landing. About 2 mins out, I called the flight attendants and they had not gotten the door open, so I had them tell the passenger to situation and brace himself on the front of the compartment and for them to take their seats. I made a soft landing and used gentle braking and reverse to stop the aircraft. Maintenance had to break apart what was left of the latch to open the door and free the passenger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 AT 8000 FT ON BASE LEG HAS RPT OF PAX TRAPPED IN AFT LAVATORY. DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF DOOR AND COULD NOT BE OPENED. LANDED WITH PAX IN LAVATORY.

Narrative: FRIDAY NIGHT FLT TO ZZZ, 137 PAX, WITH A FULL MOON. THE FASTEN SEATBELT SIGN HAD BEEN ON FOR THE ENTIRE 40 MIN FLT BECAUSE OF LIGHT CHOP. JUST AS WE STARTED TO TURN BASE LEG, THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED AND SAID THAT THE AFT LAVATORY DOOR HANDLE HAD FALLEN OFF, TRAPPING A PAX IN THE AFT LAVATORY. THEY SAID THAT PART OF THE LATCH HAD FALLEN DOWN BTWN THE DOOR PANELS, AND THEY AND THE PAX HAD TRIED NUMEROUS THINGS BUT COULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. I SLOWED TO APCH SPD, AND TOLD THEM TO KEEP TRYING, AND I WOULD LET THEM KNOW WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 2 MINS AWAY FROM LNDG. IF WE COULDN'T GET HIM OUT BY THEN, HE WOULD HAVE TO SIT IN THE LAVATORY AND BRACE HIMSELF ON THE FRONT OF THE COMPARTMENT FOR LNDG. ABOUT 2 MINS OUT, I CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND THEY HAD NOT GOTTEN THE DOOR OPEN, SO I HAD THEM TELL THE PAX TO SIT AND BRACE HIMSELF ON THE FRONT OF THE COMPARTMENT AND FOR THEM TO TAKE THEIR SEATS. I MADE A SOFT LNDG AND USED GENTLE BRAKING AND REVERSE TO STOP THE ACFT. MAINT HAD TO BREAK APART WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE LATCH TO OPEN THE DOOR AND FREE THE PAX.

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.