A B737-400 in climb at FL310 returned to the departure airport due to cabin attendant reporting loud...

Attributes
ACN	692304
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zse.artcc
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	692304
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Passing through FL180; flight attendant reported a loud banging noise from forward (L1) door. No air was escaping through door but she could hear loud wind noise coming from the door. We slowed our climb rate and requested leveloff at FL310 (filed at FL350). As we did this we checked our cabin pressure and pressurization system indicated normal readings. As a precaution; we requested FL230. We called maintenance control and dispatch; explained the situation and they thought it would be best to return. We received the amended release and a new clearance. For the remainder of the flight we had no pressurization issues at all; but air noise continued as reported by 'a' flight attendant. On taxi to the gate; we had asked for maintenance to meet aircraft. After we shut down and deplaned; we talked to maintenance; and they had seen the handle for the L1 door not stowed properly and was in the vertical position as we taxied to the gate. They speculated that the handle was being lifted by the airflow and then pulled into and out from the door; thus making the banging noise heard airborne and also was in the air stream causing the loud air flow noise. No passenger issues were reported and aircraft remained pressurized throughout.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 IN CLB AT FL310 RETURNED TO THE DEP ARPT DUE TO CABIN ATTENDANT RPTING LOUD BANGING NOISE FROM DOOR 1L. FOUND DOOR HANDLE OUT OF DETENT AND IN VERT POS.

Narrative: PASSING THROUGH FL180; FLT ATTENDANT RPTED A LOUD BANGING NOISE FROM FORWARD (L1) DOOR. NO AIR WAS ESCAPING THROUGH DOOR BUT SHE COULD HEAR LOUD WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE DOOR. WE SLOWED OUR CLB RATE AND REQUESTED LEVELOFF AT FL310 (FILED AT FL350). AS WE DID THIS WE CHKED OUR CABIN PRESSURE AND PRESSURIZATION SYS INDICATED NORMAL READINGS. AS A PRECAUTION; WE REQUESTED FL230. WE CALLED MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH; EXPLAINED THE SITUATION AND THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BEST TO RETURN. WE RECEIVED THE AMENDED RELEASE AND A NEW CLRNC. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WE HAD NO PRESSURIZATION ISSUES AT ALL; BUT AIR NOISE CONTINUED AS RPTED BY 'A' FLT ATTENDANT. ON TAXI TO THE GATE; WE HAD ASKED FOR MAINT TO MEET ACFT. AFTER WE SHUT DOWN AND DEPLANED; WE TALKED TO MAINT; AND THEY HAD SEEN THE HANDLE FOR THE L1 DOOR NOT STOWED PROPERLY AND WAS IN THE VERT POS AS WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. THEY SPECULATED THAT THE HANDLE WAS BEING LIFTED BY THE AIRFLOW AND THEN PULLED INTO AND OUT FROM THE DOOR; THUS MAKING THE BANGING NOISE HEARD AIRBORNE AND ALSO WAS IN THE AIR STREAM CAUSING THE LOUD AIR FLOW NOISE. NO PAX ISSUES WERE RPTED AND ACFT REMAINED PRESSURIZED THROUGHOUT.

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.

A B737-400 in climb at FL310 returned to the departure airport due to cabin attendant reporting loud banging noise from door 1L. Found door handle out of detent and in vertical position.