A B727-200 parked on line with an APU being changed was left unattended with the rear airstairs down...

Attributes
ACN	534895
Time
Date	200201
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
ASRS Report	534895
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Environmental Factor Company Airport Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I was sent out to a run-up area to work on a B727 APU. I went up the airstairs to pull breakers. Came back down stairs and went to pump up stairs. I could not get handle out to pump stairs up. I had co-workers on the plane next to me and on another in front of me. I left the airplane to get a hammer or electric ground unit. I have since heard it is a violation go leave a plane open and unattended.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 PARKED ON LINE WITH AN APU BEING CHANGED WAS LEFT UNATTENDED WITH THE REAR AIRSTAIRS DOWN.

Narrative: I WAS SENT OUT TO A RUN-UP AREA TO WORK ON A B727 APU. I WENT UP THE AIRSTAIRS TO PULL BREAKERS. CAME BACK DOWN STAIRS AND WENT TO PUMP UP STAIRS. I COULD NOT GET HANDLE OUT TO PUMP STAIRS UP. I HAD CO-WORKERS ON THE PLANE NEXT TO ME AND ON ANOTHER IN FRONT OF ME. I LEFT THE AIRPLANE TO GET A HAMMER OR ELECTRIC GND UNIT. I HAVE SINCE HEARD IT IS A VIOLATION GO LEAVE A PLANE OPEN AND UNATTENDED.

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.