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Captain exits cockpit before first officer can return to his seat; momentarily leaving no one at the controls during crew use of the lavatory.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 723030 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200612 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : mem.vortac |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | msl single value : 38000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc tower : ord.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 723030 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : company policies non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
The first officer used the bathroom in the forward lavatory following all company procedures and policies. The flight attendant called the captain and told him that the first officer was ready to enter. When the door opened the captain exited and the flight attendant remained in the cockpit. The flight attendant switched seats and the first officer immediately went into the cockpit. Oxygen was not used due to the short duration of the time period the captain was gone and figuring out the aircraft and talking to ATC. He returned before it was able to be used. The problem in this event of no one at the controls is a laissez-faire attitude on the captain's part. The only prevention for this problem is people's attitudes and the way we communicate with others.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT EXITS COCKPIT BEFORE FO CAN RETURN TO HIS SEAT; MOMENTARILY LEAVING NO ONE AT THE CONTROLS DURING CREW USE OF THE LAVATORY.
Narrative: THE FO USED THE BATHROOM IN THE FORWARD LAVATORY FOLLOWING ALL COMPANY PROCS AND POLICIES. THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE CAPT AND TOLD HIM THAT THE FO WAS READY TO ENTER. WHEN THE DOOR OPENED THE CAPT EXITED AND THE FLT ATTENDANT REMAINED IN THE COCKPIT. THE FLT ATTENDANT SWITCHED SEATS AND THE FO IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO THE COCKPIT. OXYGEN WAS NOT USED DUE TO THE SHORT DURATION OF THE TIME PERIOD THE CAPT WAS GONE AND FIGURING OUT THE ACFT AND TALKING TO ATC. HE RETURNED BEFORE IT WAS ABLE TO BE USED. THE PROB IN THIS EVENT OF NO ONE AT THE CTLS IS A LAISSEZ-FAIRE ATTITUDE ON THE CAPT'S PART. THE ONLY PREVENTION FOR THIS PROB IS PEOPLE'S ATTITUDES AND THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS.
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.