B757-200 crew had a door problem and was required to turn around on a 1-WAY airway.

Attributes
ACN	638307
Time
Date	200411
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : clure
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34000 msl single value : 36000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : r465.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	638307
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	638310
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Mechanic problem with door 2R forced us to divert into hnl. Had just gone to en route communication (123.45) and soon after, a decision was made to turn around. We got a clearance from comrdo which read, 'left turn direct clure direct hnl, descend and maintain FL330.' (we were at FL360). Before we turned left, we turned on all outside lights and made reports in the blind for other aircraft on the charlie track. Approximately 1/2 way through the turn back, we received a SELCAL from comrdo to return to FL360, we did so. Approximately 5 mins later we received another SELCAL from comrdo asking us how low we had gotten on the original clearance, we reported FL340. Bottom line, comrdo seemed to have some confusion on what altitude they wanted us at. There was never a conflict with other aircraft, we had been keeping track of all the nebound flts on our track and were talking to them. TCASII was also a help. Supplemental information from acn 638310: there were several aircraft eastbound on R-465 behind us that we were watching on TCASII and talking to on air-to-air. From our vantage point, we saw no loss of separation and had no TCASII traffic alerts. Our only concern was the FLIP-flop on the altitude assignment, and the question on how low we had descended.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 CREW HAD A DOOR PROB AND WAS REQUIRED TO TURN AROUND ON A 1-WAY AIRWAY.

Narrative: MECH PROB WITH DOOR 2R FORCED US TO DIVERT INTO HNL. HAD JUST GONE TO ENRTE COM (123.45) AND SOON AFTER, A DECISION WAS MADE TO TURN AROUND. WE GOT A CLRNC FROM COMRDO WHICH READ, 'L TURN DIRECT CLURE DIRECT HNL, DSND AND MAINTAIN FL330.' (WE WERE AT FL360). BEFORE WE TURNED L, WE TURNED ON ALL OUTSIDE LIGHTS AND MADE RPTS IN THE BLIND FOR OTHER ACFT ON THE CHARLIE TRACK. APPROX 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE TURN BACK, WE RECEIVED A SELCAL FROM COMRDO TO RETURN TO FL360, WE DID SO. APPROX 5 MINS LATER WE RECEIVED ANOTHER SELCAL FROM COMRDO ASKING US HOW LOW WE HAD GOTTEN ON THE ORIGINAL CLRNC, WE RPTED FL340. BOTTOM LINE, COMRDO SEEMED TO HAVE SOME CONFUSION ON WHAT ALT THEY WANTED US AT. THERE WAS NEVER A CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT, WE HAD BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF ALL THE NEBOUND FLTS ON OUR TRACK AND WERE TALKING TO THEM. TCASII WAS ALSO A HELP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 638310: THERE WERE SEVERAL ACFT EBOUND ON R-465 BEHIND US THAT WE WERE WATCHING ON TCASII AND TALKING TO ON AIR-TO-AIR. FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT, WE SAW NO LOSS OF SEPARATION AND HAD NO TCASII TFC ALERTS. OUR ONLY CONCERN WAS THE FLIP-FLOP ON THE ALT ASSIGNMENT, AND THE QUESTION ON HOW LOW WE HAD DSNDED.

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.