Pilot describes the events and lack of safety precautions that contributed to his falling into the l...

Narrative:

After arrival at gate at ZZZ; maintenance was called to correct an EICAS message regarding the #2 pressurization controller. After I consulted with the amt; he stated that he was going to go down to the east&east compartment to reset the controller. I assumed that he would enter via the normal route through the hatch on the underside of the airplane. I then entered the forward lavatory; which is between the cockpit door and the forward entry door. Upon exiting the lavatory; looking aft to see whether the cabin was being cleaned preparatory to boarding; I fell through the open upper hatch into the east&east compartment. This hatch is rarely used. I have only seen it used one other time in 5300 hours on the airplane. It is directly outside the forward lavatory; at the most heavily traveled place in the entire cabin of the airplane; and is not noted or described anywhere in the operating manual. Because of the direction of the lavatory door swing; the open hatch was not visible until I was in it. I fell about 5 ft to the deck of the east&east compartment; fortunately landed on my feet; but sustained a laceration to my left shin and a large abrasion on the left side of my back. I was transported to the X medical center where I was treated (2 stitches to my shin) and released. This incident could have been much worse; with potentially fatal results if I had struck some vital part of my body on the way down. Much stricter safeguards are needed if the upper east&east hatch is to be used at all. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he would like to see this access panel to the lower east/east compartment mentioned in their B767-300 aircraft operations manual. He also found out; upon returning to work; that maintenance does have a procedure to follow whenever that floor panel is to be removed and left open. Two mechanics are required; one performing work in the lower east/east compartment and the other to secure the area and prevent anyone from falling through the open floor panel. That procedure was not followed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PILOT DESCRIBES THE EVENTS AND LACK OF SAFETY PRECAUTIONS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO HIS FALLING INTO THE LOWER E/E COMPARTMENT OF THE B767-300 AFTER STEPPING OUT OF THE FORWARD LAV.

Narrative: AFTER ARR AT GATE AT ZZZ; MAINT WAS CALLED TO CORRECT AN EICAS MESSAGE REGARDING THE #2 PRESSURIZATION CONTROLLER. AFTER I CONSULTED WITH THE AMT; HE STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO GO DOWN TO THE E&E COMPARTMENT TO RESET THE CONTROLLER. I ASSUMED THAT HE WOULD ENTER VIA THE NORMAL RTE THROUGH THE HATCH ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRPLANE. I THEN ENTERED THE FORWARD LAVATORY; WHICH IS BTWN THE COCKPIT DOOR AND THE FORWARD ENTRY DOOR. UPON EXITING THE LAVATORY; LOOKING AFT TO SEE WHETHER THE CABIN WAS BEING CLEANED PREPARATORY TO BOARDING; I FELL THROUGH THE OPEN UPPER HATCH INTO THE E&E COMPARTMENT. THIS HATCH IS RARELY USED. I HAVE ONLY SEEN IT USED ONE OTHER TIME IN 5300 HRS ON THE AIRPLANE. IT IS DIRECTLY OUTSIDE THE FORWARD LAVATORY; AT THE MOST HEAVILY TRAVELED PLACE IN THE ENTIRE CABIN OF THE AIRPLANE; AND IS NOT NOTED OR DESCRIBED ANYWHERE IN THE OPERATING MANUAL. BECAUSE OF THE DIRECTION OF THE LAVATORY DOOR SWING; THE OPEN HATCH WAS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL I WAS IN IT. I FELL ABOUT 5 FT TO THE DECK OF THE E&E COMPARTMENT; FORTUNATELY LANDED ON MY FEET; BUT SUSTAINED A LACERATION TO MY L SHIN AND A LARGE ABRASION ON THE L SIDE OF MY BACK. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE X MEDICAL CENTER WHERE I WAS TREATED (2 STITCHES TO MY SHIN) AND RELEASED. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE; WITH POTENTIALLY FATAL RESULTS IF I HAD STRUCK SOME VITAL PART OF MY BODY ON THE WAY DOWN. MUCH STRICTER SAFEGUARDS ARE NEEDED IF THE UPPER E&E HATCH IS TO BE USED AT ALL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ACCESS PANEL TO THE LOWER E/E COMPARTMENT MENTIONED IN THEIR B767-300 ACFT OPERATIONS MANUAL. HE ALSO FOUND OUT; UPON RETURNING TO WORK; THAT MAINT DOES HAVE A PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW WHENEVER THAT FLOOR PANEL IS TO BE REMOVED AND LEFT OPEN. TWO MECHANICS ARE REQUIRED; ONE PERFORMING WORK IN THE LOWER E/E COMPARTMENT AND THE OTHER TO SECURE THE AREA AND PREVENT ANYONE FROM FALLING THROUGH THE OPEN FLOOR PANEL. THAT PROCEDURE WAS NOT FOLLOWED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Attributes
ACN	805031
Time
Date	200809
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	805031
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : briefing performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Pilot describes the events and lack of safety precautions that contributed to his falling into the lower east/east compartment of the B767-300 after stepping out of the forward lav.