Narrative:

While on the river visual to 18 at dca, approximately 10 mi out, the senior flight attendant called to inform me that a passenger was still in the lavatory. The seat belt sign had been on since leaving 18000 ft, and an arrival message (prepare for arrival) given approximately 15 mins prior, along with a 3 bell landing signal at about 11 mi out. I told her to get the passenger seated, we have about 4 mins till touchdown. She called about a min later saying that the passenger would not leave the lavatory. I said do what you must but get the passenger seated in 1 min or I would initiate a go around. At about 1000 ft I informed tower that we would be making a go around, due to passenger not being ready for landing, after the power up and go around initiated, the flight attendant called and said the passenger was now seated. Later investigation revealed that the passenger was discovered only by noticed movement in the door crack as the 'B' flight attendant was being seated for landing. The flight attendants use the lavatory lights which come on when the lavatory door is locked as their cue that the lavatory is empty. On this occasion the older gentleman did not lock the lavatory door and was subsequently overlooked. This incident could have been prevented by more vigilant flight attendants and obedience to the seatbelt signs. That is, the passenger and flight attendants doing their job correctly. The second approach and landing was without incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG MADE A GAR AT DCA BECAUSE A PAX WAS STILL IN THE LAVATORY ON SHORT FINAL.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE RIVER VISUAL TO 18 AT DCA, APPROX 10 MI OUT, THE SENIOR FLT ATTENDANT CALLED TO INFORM ME THAT A PAX WAS STILL IN THE LAVATORY. THE SEAT BELT SIGN HAD BEEN ON SINCE LEAVING 18000 FT, AND AN ARR MESSAGE (PREPARE FOR ARR) GIVEN APPROX 15 MINS PRIOR, ALONG WITH A 3 BELL LNDG SIGNAL AT ABOUT 11 MI OUT. I TOLD HER TO GET THE PAX SEATED, WE HAVE ABOUT 4 MINS TILL TOUCHDOWN. SHE CALLED ABOUT A MIN LATER SAYING THAT THE PAX WOULD NOT LEAVE THE LAVATORY. I SAID DO WHAT YOU MUST BUT GET THE PAX SEATED IN 1 MIN OR I WOULD INITIATE A GAR. AT ABOUT 1000 FT I INFORMED TWR THAT WE WOULD BE MAKING A GAR, DUE TO PAX NOT BEING READY FOR LNDG, AFTER THE PWR UP AND GAR INITIATED, THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND SAID THE PAX WAS NOW SEATED. LATER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PAX WAS DISCOVERED ONLY BY NOTICED MOVEMENT IN THE DOOR CRACK AS THE 'B' FLT ATTENDANT WAS BEING SEATED FOR LNDG. THE FLT ATTENDANTS USE THE LAVATORY LIGHTS WHICH COME ON WHEN THE LAVATORY DOOR IS LOCKED AS THEIR CUE THAT THE LAVATORY IS EMPTY. ON THIS OCCASION THE OLDER GENTLEMAN DID NOT LOCK THE LAVATORY DOOR AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY OVERLOOKED. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY MORE VIGILANT FLT ATTENDANTS AND OBEDIENCE TO THE SEATBELT SIGNS. THAT IS, THE PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS DOING THEIR JOB CORRECTLY. THE SECOND APCH AND LNDG WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.