Narrative:

I was off flying for 4 yrs and have been recalled back from voluntary furlough and returned to the london base recently. Departing london on nov/xa/06 was my first flight on B767 since I am back to london 2 weeks ago. I have a lot of flying experience on B747 and B777 but my flying experience on B767 is limited. My previous flight on B767 is about 4 yrs ago. Other than today's flight; my other physical contact and experience with B767 was at my retraining where the emphasis was on repeated emergency mode operation at the doors of B767. I have been assigned to situation at door 1R and work in business class. During boarding; I was busy carrying out duties in my assigned cabin until I heard the announcement of preparing doors for departure over the PA. I was in the aisle at row 9AB. Once I heard the PA announcement; I immediately went to door 1R. The door was already armed when I got there. I verified it being armed by checking the view ports and the yellow flag was extended. Though I verified; I had no physical contact to the door and the arming lever. I was distraction by some personal issues that I didn't rest well during the crew rest break. We were all tired at the end of the flight. I went back to my jumpseat at 1R when the 'disarm door for arrival' announcement was made. However; when I got to the door; I didn't stop and concentrate on disarming the door. I grab the distinctive but wrong handle; which is found just next to the arming lever and instinctively; at that moment; pulled the silver handle; the same motion I would have done for disarming thee door. 1/2 way in pulling the lever; I realized something was wrong and heard the loud noise of the slide. I tried to stop it; but it was too late. The doors opened and the slide had deployed. With this experience; I learn and realize the importance of good thinking before touching the door. It's important that I stop; look and think of the consequences before taking action or touching anything on the door; especially an aircraft I don't fly often. Physical contact to the door is not the same as visual checking. It is important and necessary for me to do the arming/disarming by myself. Had I armed the door; I am sure I would have also in reverse; disarmed the correct lever.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLT ATTENDANT RECENTLY RECALLED FROM FURLOUGH WITH LITTLE B767 EXPERIENCE DEPLOYED AN EMER EXIT SLIDE DURING AN INATTENTIVE POSTFLT MOMENT.

Narrative: I WAS OFF FLYING FOR 4 YRS AND HAVE BEEN RECALLED BACK FROM VOLUNTARY FURLOUGH AND RETURNED TO THE LONDON BASE RECENTLY. DEPARTING LONDON ON NOV/XA/06 WAS MY FIRST FLT ON B767 SINCE I AM BACK TO LONDON 2 WKS AGO. I HAVE A LOT OF FLYING EXPERIENCE ON B747 AND B777 BUT MY FLYING EXPERIENCE ON B767 IS LIMITED. MY PREVIOUS FLT ON B767 IS ABOUT 4 YRS AGO. OTHER THAN TODAY'S FLT; MY OTHER PHYSICAL CONTACT AND EXPERIENCE WITH B767 WAS AT MY RETRAINING WHERE THE EMPHASIS WAS ON REPEATED EMER MODE OP AT THE DOORS OF B767. I HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO SIT AT DOOR 1R AND WORK IN BUSINESS CLASS. DURING BOARDING; I WAS BUSY CARRYING OUT DUTIES IN MY ASSIGNED CABIN UNTIL I HEARD THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF PREPARING DOORS FOR DEP OVER THE PA. I WAS IN THE AISLE AT ROW 9AB. ONCE I HEARD THE PA ANNOUNCEMENT; I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO DOOR 1R. THE DOOR WAS ALREADY ARMED WHEN I GOT THERE. I VERIFIED IT BEING ARMED BY CHKING THE VIEW PORTS AND THE YELLOW FLAG WAS EXTENDED. THOUGH I VERIFIED; I HAD NO PHYSICAL CONTACT TO THE DOOR AND THE ARMING LEVER. I WAS DISTR BY SOME PERSONAL ISSUES THAT I DIDN'T REST WELL DURING THE CREW REST BREAK. WE WERE ALL TIRED AT THE END OF THE FLT. I WENT BACK TO MY JUMPSEAT AT 1R WHEN THE 'DISARM DOOR FOR ARR' ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE. HOWEVER; WHEN I GOT TO THE DOOR; I DIDN'T STOP AND CONCENTRATE ON DISARMING THE DOOR. I GRAB THE DISTINCTIVE BUT WRONG HANDLE; WHICH IS FOUND JUST NEXT TO THE ARMING LEVER AND INSTINCTIVELY; AT THAT MOMENT; PULLED THE SILVER HANDLE; THE SAME MOTION I WOULD HAVE DONE FOR DISARMING THEE DOOR. 1/2 WAY IN PULLING THE LEVER; I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND HEARD THE LOUD NOISE OF THE SLIDE. I TRIED TO STOP IT; BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THE DOORS OPENED AND THE SLIDE HAD DEPLOYED. WITH THIS EXPERIENCE; I LEARN AND REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD THINKING BEFORE TOUCHING THE DOOR. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I STOP; LOOK AND THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES BEFORE TAKING ACTION OR TOUCHING ANYTHING ON THE DOOR; ESPECIALLY AN ACFT I DON'T FLY OFTEN. PHYSICAL CONTACT TO THE DOOR IS NOT THE SAME AS VISUAL CHKING. IT IS IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY FOR ME TO DO THE ARMING/DISARMING BY MYSELF. HAD I ARMED THE DOOR; I AM SURE I WOULD HAVE ALSO IN REVERSE; DISARMED THE CORRECT LEVER.

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.