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An A320 pilot reports his air carrier is securing passenger oxygen mask doors with security tape and question whether the doors will open on command.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 660240 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200506 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked ground : preflight ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 245 flight time total : 20500 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 660240 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event other non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
We were at the gate in ZZZ when the flight attendant reported that the tamper seals around the toilet in the aft/forward lavatory were broken. I then looked in the forward (first class) lavatory and saw two were broken there as well. I reported these conditions to the ground security coordinator in msy and he had them replaced. The flight attendant then told me that the two seals above the toilet were in place. When I investigated; I found that the oxygen mask deployment door had two tamper seals securing it in place. My question to flight safety is this: will the oxygen masks deploy in case of loss of cabin pressure with those seals in place? I have not opened these doors to see if they simply drop by gravity or are powered open by a spring or some other device. In any case; I am concerned a passenger will not receive oxygen in case of depressurization emergency with these tamper seals in place.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 PLT RPTS HIS ACR IS SECURING PAX OXYGEN MASK DOORS WITH SECURITY TAPE AND QUESTION WHETHER THE DOORS WILL OPEN ON COMMAND.
Narrative: WE WERE AT THE GATE IN ZZZ WHEN THE FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT THE TAMPER SEALS AROUND THE TOILET IN THE AFT/FORWARD LAVATORY WERE BROKEN. I THEN LOOKED IN THE FORWARD (FIRST CLASS) LAVATORY AND SAW TWO WERE BROKEN THERE AS WELL. I RPTED THESE CONDITIONS TO THE GND SECURITY COORDINATOR IN MSY AND HE HAD THEM REPLACED. THE FLT ATTENDANT THEN TOLD ME THAT THE TWO SEALS ABOVE THE TOILET WERE IN PLACE. WHEN I INVESTIGATED; I FOUND THAT THE OXYGEN MASK DEPLOYMENT DOOR HAD TWO TAMPER SEALS SECURING IT IN PLACE. MY QUESTION TO FLT SAFETY IS THIS: WILL THE OXYGEN MASKS DEPLOY IN CASE OF LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE WITH THOSE SEALS IN PLACE? I HAVE NOT OPENED THESE DOORS TO SEE IF THEY SIMPLY DROP BY GRAVITY OR ARE POWERED OPEN BY A SPRING OR SOME OTHER DEVICE. IN ANY CASE; I AM CONCERNED A PAX WILL NOT RECEIVE OXYGEN IN CASE OF DEPRESSURIZATION EMER WITH THESE TAMPER SEALS IN PLACE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.