Narrative:

This was my very 1ST time ever on or flying this aircraft. I did a full review of my A319 using early this morning at the hotel and a very thorough safety check and review onboard. Upon arrival at the gate the purser immediately made the announcement twice to 'disarm doors; disarm doors.' I left my jumpseat immediately and headed to door 2R as my flying partner turned to her door 2L. I lifted the handle right in front of me which was the wrong handle. I said to myself as I do every time I disarm a door; 'door is armed' lift handle; 'door is disarmed' at which time I heard the door pressure release; door crack and then begin to open. I instantly grabbed for all handles as I attempted to hold the door from opening automatically. I knew I could hold it momentarily while I called for my flying partner to assess and make sure the area outside the door was clear. After ensuring the area was clear I let the door slowly open. The slide did not automatically deploy at that time. My flying partner and I very quickly and briefly discussed whether the door could be disarmed or closed at this time. We agreed it might be best to lift the arming lever in hopes of saving the slide from deploying at a later time when it might be unattended and or could potentially injure someone on the ground. I then held on to the interior assist handle as I reached out to lift the arming lever. As I did the door began to move further outward and opened to its full opened position. At that time the slide then deployed and inflated. Personnel on the ground were aware of the situation and stayed completely clear of the slide area because we had previously warned them the door was opening. Once the slide had deployed the ground crew asked if we were evacing. We said; 'no; it was an accidental deployment.' my flying partner immediately briefed with me and said she felt very responsible knowing I had never flown any of the A319's or A320's before. I thanked her for her concern and caring; but I take responsibility for the incident. My crew were very supportive and explained to me the A319 and A320 aircraft have the most accidentally deployed slides. I am grateful for their support but I am most thankful no one was injured mainly due to the fact my flying partner and I were able to react quickly and work together to ensure the area outside was clear.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT ON FIRST FLT ABOARD AN A319 MISTAKENLY DEPLOYS SLIDE UPON ARR AT DEST.

Narrative: THIS WAS MY VERY 1ST TIME EVER ON OR FLYING THIS ACFT. I DID A FULL REVIEW OF MY A319 USING EARLY THIS MORNING AT THE HOTEL AND A VERY THOROUGH SAFETY CHK AND REVIEW ONBOARD. UPON ARR AT THE GATE THE PURSER IMMEDIATELY MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT TWICE TO 'DISARM DOORS; DISARM DOORS.' I LEFT MY JUMPSEAT IMMEDIATELY AND HEADED TO DOOR 2R AS MY FLYING PARTNER TURNED TO HER DOOR 2L. I LIFTED THE HANDLE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME WHICH WAS THE WRONG HANDLE. I SAID TO MYSELF AS I DO EVERY TIME I DISARM A DOOR; 'DOOR IS ARMED' LIFT HANDLE; 'DOOR IS DISARMED' AT WHICH TIME I HEARD THE DOOR PRESSURE RELEASE; DOOR CRACK AND THEN BEGIN TO OPEN. I INSTANTLY GRABBED FOR ALL HANDLES AS I ATTEMPTED TO HOLD THE DOOR FROM OPENING AUTOMATICALLY. I KNEW I COULD HOLD IT MOMENTARILY WHILE I CALLED FOR MY FLYING PARTNER TO ASSESS AND MAKE SURE THE AREA OUTSIDE THE DOOR WAS CLR. AFTER ENSURING THE AREA WAS CLR I LET THE DOOR SLOWLY OPEN. THE SLIDE DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY DEPLOY AT THAT TIME. MY FLYING PARTNER AND I VERY QUICKLY AND BRIEFLY DISCUSSED WHETHER THE DOOR COULD BE DISARMED OR CLOSED AT THIS TIME. WE AGREED IT MIGHT BE BEST TO LIFT THE ARMING LEVER IN HOPES OF SAVING THE SLIDE FROM DEPLOYING AT A LATER TIME WHEN IT MIGHT BE UNATTENDED AND OR COULD POTENTIALLY INJURE SOMEONE ON THE GND. I THEN HELD ON TO THE INTERIOR ASSIST HANDLE AS I REACHED OUT TO LIFT THE ARMING LEVER. AS I DID THE DOOR BEGAN TO MOVE FURTHER OUTWARD AND OPENED TO ITS FULL OPENED POS. AT THAT TIME THE SLIDE THEN DEPLOYED AND INFLATED. PERSONNEL ON THE GND WERE AWARE OF THE SIT AND STAYED COMPLETELY CLR OF THE SLIDE AREA BECAUSE WE HAD PREVIOUSLY WARNED THEM THE DOOR WAS OPENING. ONCE THE SLIDE HAD DEPLOYED THE GND CREW ASKED IF WE WERE EVACING. WE SAID; 'NO; IT WAS AN ACCIDENTAL DEPLOYMENT.' MY FLYING PARTNER IMMEDIATELY BRIEFED WITH ME AND SAID SHE FELT VERY RESPONSIBLE KNOWING I HAD NEVER FLOWN ANY OF THE A319'S OR A320'S BEFORE. I THANKED HER FOR HER CONCERN AND CARING; BUT I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INCIDENT. MY CREW WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND EXPLAINED TO ME THE A319 AND A320 ACFT HAVE THE MOST ACCIDENTALLY DEPLOYED SLIDES. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT BUT I AM MOST THANKFUL NO ONE WAS INJURED MAINLY DUE TO THE FACT MY FLYING PARTNER AND I WERE ABLE TO REACT QUICKLY AND WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THE AREA OUTSIDE WAS CLR.

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.