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After a crj-900 stopped at the gate; the captain turned the seat belt sign off which produced a single chime. As per training; the forward flight attendant opened the forward cabin door after a second chime. After opening the door the aircraft began moving. The seat belt sign had been re-illuminated but identical sounding chimes for different commands in certain situations led to confusion and potentially safety consequences.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1305346 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201510 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | JFK.Airport |
| State Reference | NY |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Medium Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Exterior Pax/Crew Door |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Flight Attendant (On Duty) |
| Qualification | Flight Attendant Current |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown |
Narrative:
After landing we taxied to the gate. We pulled into the ramp area which saw a 'wing walker' out the galley service window. The aircraft stopped with its usual 'brakes on' stop at the gate and the seat belt sign was turned off. I turned on the cabin lighting to bright; exited my jumpseat; and awaited flight deck signal to open the main cabin door (a single chime). A single chime was audible in the cabin and I looked at the flight attendant (flight attendant) panel with no indication and opened the main cabin door. When the door popped open I noticed the sky moving as if the aircraft was moving and heard the flight deck receive the 'door door' notification. It was then that I could hear the engines were coming back up and I looked up to see the seat belt sign had been re-illuminated. The flight deck immediately opened the flight deck door and said to close the main cabin door. We finished pulling into the gate a few feet and open the main cabin door. The captain stated that he had turned the seat belt sign on. I explained that the open door chime and the seat belt sign chime were the same so I heard the chime looked at the panel and opened the door per the current procedure. I believe the current 'single chime' communication from the flight deck for main cabin door opening is not effective communication. There are 76 seats which have a flight attendant call button which makes the same chime. The seat belt on/off makes the same exact chime. The lav call lights make the same exact chime. I believe we have an opportunity to make communication for opening the flight deck door more effective and less risky of being confused. I would suggest the using the same chime that is used at sterile which is a single chime that happens twice. At the door open this chime would be completely different from any calls from the flight deck/aft fa (high low chimes) or the passenger seats; lav call light; and seat belt sign on/off (a single chime). Using a single chime that tones twice as with the notification for sterile would prevent mixed messages because it is only used to indicate sterile at this time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: After a CRJ-900 stopped at the gate; the Captain turned the seat belt sign off which produced a single chime. As per training; the forward Flight Attendant opened the forward cabin door after a second chime. After opening the door the aircraft began moving. The seat belt sign had been re-illuminated but identical sounding chimes for different commands in certain situations led to confusion and potentially safety consequences.
Narrative: After landing we taxied to the gate. We pulled into the ramp area which saw a 'wing walker' out the galley service window. The aircraft stopped with its usual 'brakes on' stop at the gate and the seat belt sign was turned off. I turned on the cabin lighting to bright; exited my jumpseat; and awaited flight deck signal to open the main cabin door (a single chime). A single chime was audible in the cabin and I looked at the FA (Flight Attendant) panel with no indication and opened the main cabin door. When the door popped open I noticed the sky moving as if the aircraft was moving and heard the flight deck receive the 'Door Door' notification. It was then that I could hear the engines were coming back up and I looked up to see the seat belt sign had been re-illuminated. The flight deck immediately opened the flight deck door and said to close the main cabin door. We finished pulling into the gate a few feet and open the main cabin door. The captain stated that he had turned the seat belt sign on. I explained that the open door chime and the seat belt sign chime were the same so I heard the chime looked at the panel and opened the door per the current procedure. I believe the current 'single chime' communication from the flight deck for main cabin door opening is not effective communication. There are 76 seats which have a flight attendant call button which makes the same chime. The seat belt on/off makes the same exact chime. The lav call lights make the same exact chime. I believe we have an opportunity to make communication for opening the flight deck door more effective and less risky of being confused. I would suggest the using the same chime that is used at sterile which is a single chime that happens twice. At the door open this chime would be completely different from any calls from the flight deck/aft fa (high low chimes) or the passenger seats; lav call light; and seat belt sign on/off (a single chime). Using a single chime that tones twice as with the notification for Sterile would prevent mixed messages because it is only used to indicate sterile at this time.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.