Narrative:

Flight departed on schedule. I would like to offer my perspective as flight attendant (flight attendant) 'B' on a dhc-8-Q400 aircraft for seven legs that day regarding the L-2 door (left aft) [cabin] door. (Leg #6). I closed and locked the L-2 door in coordination with a ground agent's approval and the stair rail flipped in. I acknowledge that the door seemed stiffer than most but I know there are some doors that are just that way. Still the handle was pushed all the way left and did 'punch in'. The door was secure [by indication] in cockpit and we departed. Above sterile; about 18;000 feet; we were serving in the forward cabin when flight deck got a warning; called us to check the L-2 door [possibly] not secure; but don't touch it. Flight attendants 'a' and 'B' checked it and it appeared locked. Told the captain it was very stiff upon closure. Captain said stay out of galley 'B' and sit in row 20 for landing. No more communication. I figured they were busy with check lists and maintenance. Kept calm with the fact that there wasn't; at this time; a diversion. Landed safely. Passengers out through [forward] main cabin door. I heard the captain pop open the L-2 door from the outside. Back in the aircraft to galley 'B'; captain asked me to close the door. I released the gust lock but uncustomarily I pulled the door closed using the lock handle not the assist handle. He pointed that out as being the problem the operator error I made; that it was my responsibility to close the L-2 door. I explained. I went to push the door out a little and use the assist handle and he said that was wrong too. [He said] I should open the door completely till it catches the gust lock and then close it again. This information was new to me and not in the flight attendant manual (fam). End of day he [captain] said that it was reported as 'operator error' with maintenance and that it could have been more complicated and we could have been stuck [on the ground] for an hour pressurizing the cabin etc. Still I made the error. Next day captain showed me a copy of the incident report and asked me if I agreed with it. I said I did not; but that I respect that he has to submit his report. My partner flight attendant (flight attendant) did not agree either. Captain did a demonstration in alley 'B' for both of us just as the night before. The scene was always very professional and polite on my part. Please know I respect the captain as PIC and it is evident he has lots of experience with the Q400 and its doors; since its infancy; still some questions remain for me. True some doors are stiffer than others. I have had some greased by maintenance. I have never been able to push the handle in only part way to lock. It either snaps in or pops out to open. We rely on the cockpit to advise us if the door is not secure. We also count on the ground agents who check it from the outside during their walk around. We were confident at take off that the L-2 door was secure. I just can't grasp the 'operational error' concept here and feel a possible problem with the door mechanism or faulty sensor could have been overlooked as a possible safety issue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Flight Attendant reports about a 'left aft L-2 main cabin door' not secured warning indication in the cockpit after take-off on a DHC-8-Q400 aircraft. Flight Attendant notes that only the left forward L-1 door has a green light to indicate if the door is closed and locked. Flight attendants have to rely on pilots to inform them if the remaining three cabin doors show closed and locked.

Narrative: Flight departed on schedule. I would like to offer my perspective as FA (Flight Attendant) 'B' on a DHC-8-Q400 aircraft for seven legs that day regarding the L-2 door (Left Aft) [cabin] door. (Leg #6). I closed and locked the L-2 door in coordination with a Ground Agent's approval and the stair rail flipped in. I acknowledge that the door seemed stiffer than most but I know there are some doors that are just that way. Still the handle was pushed all the way left and did 'punch in'. The door was secure [by indication] in cockpit and we departed. Above sterile; about 18;000 feet; we were serving in the forward cabin when flight deck got a warning; called us to check the L-2 door [possibly] not secure; but don't touch it. Flight Attendants 'A' and 'B' checked it and it appeared locked. Told the Captain it was very stiff upon closure. Captain said stay out of Galley 'B' and sit in row 20 for landing. No more communication. I figured they were busy with check lists and maintenance. Kept calm with the fact that there wasn't; at this time; a diversion. Landed safely. Passengers out through [forward] main cabin door. I heard the Captain pop open the L-2 door from the outside. Back in the aircraft to Galley 'B'; Captain asked me to close the door. I released the gust lock but uncustomarily I pulled the door closed using the lock handle not the assist handle. He pointed that out as being the problem the operator error I made; that it was my responsibility to close the L-2 door. I explained. I went to push the door out a little and use the assist handle and he said that was wrong too. [He said] I should open the door completely till it catches the gust lock and then close it again. This information was new to me and not in the Flight Attendant Manual (FAM). End of day he [Captain] said that it was reported as 'operator error' with Maintenance and that it could have been more complicated and we could have been stuck [on the ground] for an hour pressurizing the cabin etc. Still I made the error. Next day Captain showed me a copy of the incident report and asked me if I agreed with it. I said I did not; but that I respect that he has to submit his report. My partner Flight Attendant (FA) did not agree either. Captain did a demonstration in Alley 'B' for both of us just as the night before. The scene was always very professional and polite on my part. Please know I respect the Captain as PIC and it is evident he has lots of experience with the Q400 and its doors; since its infancy; still some questions remain for me. True some doors are stiffer than others. I have had some greased by Maintenance. I have never been able to push the handle in only part way to lock. It either snaps in or pops out to open. We rely on the cockpit to advise us if the door is not secure. We also count on the ground agents who check it from the outside during their walk around. We were confident at take off that the L-2 door was secure. I just can't grasp the 'operational error' concept here and feel a possible problem with the door mechanism or faulty sensor could have been overlooked as a possible safety issue.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.