As one B757 crew member relieved the other for lavatory break, the flight controls were momentarily ...

Attributes
ACN	545162
Time
Date	200204
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa.artcc
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	545162
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	545162
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : f/a 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During cruise, first officer went to cabin to use lavatory. Flight attendant secured cockpit door. First officer called on interphone to return. At that time, I (the captain) got up, unsecured the door, and let the first officer in. I passed him on my way to the lavatory. When I returned and after the flight attendant had left, the first officer asked me if I knew what I had done. I didn't, so he informed me that for a few seconds no pilot was in either of the pilot seats. My response was incredulous, until I realized he was correct. I still can't believe I did that, but it's true. I am very conscientious about security and safety and don't know how I could have done this -- but I wont' forget that I did it. Supplemental information from acn 545161: I called on the interphone to return. When the cockpit door opened, I was very surprised to see the captain had opened the door. Rather than create a scene at that moment, I quietly occupied my seat as quickly as possible. We discussed together the primary reason for the flight attendant being in the cockpit to operate the door and lock so that a pilot's seat is never unoccupied.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AS ONE B757 CREW MEMBER RELIEVED THE OTHER FOR LAVATORY BREAK, THE FLT CTLS WERE MOMENTARILY LEFT UNATTENDED.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE, FO WENT TO CABIN TO USE LAVATORY. FLT ATTENDANT SECURED COCKPIT DOOR. FO CALLED ON INTERPHONE TO RETURN. AT THAT TIME, I (THE CAPT) GOT UP, UNSECURED THE DOOR, AND LET THE FO IN. I PASSED HIM ON MY WAY TO THE LAVATORY. WHEN I RETURNED AND AFTER THE FLT ATTENDANT HAD LEFT, THE FO ASKED ME IF I KNEW WHAT I HAD DONE. I DIDN'T, SO HE INFORMED ME THAT FOR A FEW SECONDS NO PLT WAS IN EITHER OF THE PLT SEATS. MY RESPONSE WAS INCREDULOUS, UNTIL I REALIZED HE WAS CORRECT. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT, BUT IT'S TRUE. I AM VERY CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT SECURITY AND SAFETY AND DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD HAVE DONE THIS -- BUT I WONT' FORGET THAT I DID IT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 545161: I CALLED ON THE INTERPHONE TO RETURN. WHEN THE COCKPIT DOOR OPENED, I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO SEE THE CAPT HAD OPENED THE DOOR. RATHER THAN CREATE A SCENE AT THAT MOMENT, I QUIETLY OCCUPIED MY SEAT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WE DISCUSSED TOGETHER THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THE FLT ATTENDANT BEING IN THE COCKPIT TO OPERATE THE DOOR AND LOCK SO THAT A PLT'S SEAT IS NEVER UNOCCUPIED.

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.

As one B757 crew member relieved the other for lavatory break, the flight controls were momentarily left unattended.