Just prior to pushback with brakes off, the cabin passenger loading door is opened by the gate agent...

Attributes
ACN	609983
Time
Date	200402
Day	Sat
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	609983
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other ground encounters : person non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : door lights other other : 5 - gndcrew
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Passenger Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

This report concerns 2 issues involving our flight. Both are dangerous and could lead to tragic consequences. The first case concerns the agent not getting clearance from the captain before attaching the jetbridge to the aircraft and reopening the door. In this instance the door had already been closed. The ground crew had reported in 'all secure below, cockpit steering disabled, standing by for brake release.' we had already called ramp and were given the clearance to push off of other gate. I had reported 'parking brake release, cleared to push.' however, a split second before the ground crew pushed the jet, they asked 'why was the jetbridge back?' at that time I felt the door open and then close and the jetbridge being pulled from the aircraft. I tried to get the agent's attention, but she did not see me or ignored me. Without prior approval from the captain, the agent opened the door, boarded 2 passenger, and left. All of this took place without the parking brake being set, the ground crew being notified or the ramp or the purser. I debriefed the purser about allowing the door to be opened without informing the captain. This myopic vision and breach in safety could lead to catastrophic consequences. Too many agents are in too big of a hurry for that 'on time' departure. This shortsightedness is creating a safety hazard. We came close to killing someone today.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JUST PRIOR TO PUSHBACK WITH BRAKES OFF, THE CABIN PAX LOADING DOOR IS OPENED BY THE GATE AGENT TO BOARD 2 LAST MIN PAX FROM JETWAY AT MIA, FL.

Narrative: THIS RPT CONCERNS 2 ISSUES INVOLVING OUR FLT. BOTH ARE DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. THE FIRST CASE CONCERNS THE AGENT NOT GETTING CLRNC FROM THE CAPT BEFORE ATTACHING THE JETBRIDGE TO THE ACFT AND REOPENING THE DOOR. IN THIS INSTANCE THE DOOR HAD ALREADY BEEN CLOSED. THE GND CREW HAD RPTED IN 'ALL SECURE BELOW, COCKPIT STEERING DISABLED, STANDING BY FOR BRAKE RELEASE.' WE HAD ALREADY CALLED RAMP AND WERE GIVEN THE CLRNC TO PUSH OFF OF OTHER GATE. I HAD RPTED 'PARKING BRAKE RELEASE, CLRED TO PUSH.' HOWEVER, A SPLIT SECOND BEFORE THE GND CREW PUSHED THE JET, THEY ASKED 'WHY WAS THE JETBRIDGE BACK?' AT THAT TIME I FELT THE DOOR OPEN AND THEN CLOSE AND THE JETBRIDGE BEING PULLED FROM THE ACFT. I TRIED TO GET THE AGENT'S ATTN, BUT SHE DID NOT SEE ME OR IGNORED ME. WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE CAPT, THE AGENT OPENED THE DOOR, BOARDED 2 PAX, AND LEFT. ALL OF THIS TOOK PLACE WITHOUT THE PARKING BRAKE BEING SET, THE GND CREW BEING NOTIFIED OR THE RAMP OR THE PURSER. I DEBRIEFED THE PURSER ABOUT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO BE OPENED WITHOUT INFORMING THE CAPT. THIS MYOPIC VISION AND BREACH IN SAFETY COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES. TOO MANY AGENTS ARE IN TOO BIG OF A HURRY FOR THAT 'ON TIME' DEP. THIS SHORTSIGHTEDNESS IS CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. WE CAME CLOSE TO KILLING SOMEONE TODAY.

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.

Just prior to pushback with brakes off, the cabin passenger loading door is opened by the gate agent to board 2 last min passenger from jetway at mia, fl.