Q400 flight attendant hears double chime at the end of a long day and opens the cabin door to see th...

Attributes
ACN	811184
Time
Date	200811
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	Q400 NextGen
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
ASRS Report	811184
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Cabin Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were about 2 hours late into ZZZ. We parked at the gate; the seatbelt sign was turned off. I heard the double chime. I opened the main cabin door. I realized that the propellers were still going and it was very loud; so I right away didn't let any passenger off the plane thinking that maybe they accidentally did the double chime since we were running late; and then looked at the control panel and realized that the double chime was the flight deck calling me and not to open the main cabin door. I answered and apologized. They wanted to let me know that a passenger on our flight missed her connection and had to see a gate agent inside. After 3 legs and hearing the double chime to open the main cabin door; it was habitual for me to open the main cabin door after the seatbelt sign is turned off and then the double chime is heard. By the 4TH leg; and already behind; I didn't stop to check if maybe they were calling us from the flight deck. I will always doublechk to see if the flight deck is calling us in the cabin.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Q400 FLIGHT ATTENDANT HEARS DOUBLE CHIME AT THE END OF A LONG DAY AND OPENS THE CABIN DOOR TO SEE THE PROPELLER STILL TURNING. DOOR IS CLOSED; DOUBLE CHIME WAS FLIGHT DECK CALLING.

Narrative: WE WERE ABOUT 2 HRS LATE INTO ZZZ. WE PARKED AT THE GATE; THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS TURNED OFF. I HEARD THE DOUBLE CHIME. I OPENED THE MAIN CABIN DOOR. I REALIZED THAT THE PROPS WERE STILL GOING AND IT WAS VERY LOUD; SO I RIGHT AWAY DIDN'T LET ANY PAX OFF THE PLANE THINKING THAT MAYBE THEY ACCIDENTALLY DID THE DOUBLE CHIME SINCE WE WERE RUNNING LATE; AND THEN LOOKED AT THE CTL PANEL AND REALIZED THAT THE DOUBLE CHIME WAS THE FLT DECK CALLING ME AND NOT TO OPEN THE MAIN CABIN DOOR. I ANSWERED AND APOLOGIZED. THEY WANTED TO LET ME KNOW THAT A PAX ON OUR FLT MISSED HER CONNECTION AND HAD TO SEE A GATE AGENT INSIDE. AFTER 3 LEGS AND HEARING THE DOUBLE CHIME TO OPEN THE MAIN CABIN DOOR; IT WAS HABITUAL FOR ME TO OPEN THE MAIN CABIN DOOR AFTER THE SEATBELT SIGN IS TURNED OFF AND THEN THE DOUBLE CHIME IS HEARD. BY THE 4TH LEG; AND ALREADY BEHIND; I DIDN'T STOP TO CHK IF MAYBE THEY WERE CALLING US FROM THE FLT DECK. I WILL ALWAYS DOUBLECHK TO SEE IF THE FLT DECK IS CALLING US IN THE CABIN.

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.

Q400 flight attendant hears double chime at the end of a long day and opens the cabin door to see the propeller still turning. Door is closed; double chime was flight deck calling.