As one B737-300 crew member relieved the other for lavatory break, the flight controls were momentar...

Attributes
ACN	545824
Time
Date	200204
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
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
Experience	flight time type : 3626
ASRS Report	545824
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1476
ASRS Report	545822
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 : fa 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Captain and first officer both needed to use lavatory before landing. Captain went first, when, I, the captain, went to gain access to the cockpit, the first officer opened the door. I was shocked the first officer was standing there and not at the controls. I quickly returned to my seat and donned oxygen. Everything was subsequently normal and nothing adverse occurred while the first officer was not at his station. Supplemental information from acn 545822: approximately 25 mins from touchdown, captain knocked to re-enter cockpit. Under the constraint of time, I inadvertently answered cockpit door to switch position with captain to expedite exchange.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AS ONE B737-300 CREW MEMBER RELIEVED THE OTHER FOR LAVATORY BREAK, THE FLT CTLS WERE MOMENTARILY LEFT UNATTENDED.

Narrative: CAPT AND FO BOTH NEEDED TO USE LAVATORY BEFORE LNDG. CAPT WENT FIRST, WHEN, I, THE CAPT, WENT TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE COCKPIT, THE FO OPENED THE DOOR. I WAS SHOCKED THE FO WAS STANDING THERE AND NOT AT THE CTLS. I QUICKLY RETURNED TO MY SEAT AND DONNED OXYGEN. EVERYTHING WAS SUBSEQUENTLY NORMAL AND NOTHING ADVERSE OCCURRED WHILE THE FO WAS NOT AT HIS STATION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 545822: APPROX 25 MINS FROM TOUCHDOWN, CAPT KNOCKED TO RE-ENTER COCKPIT. UNDER THE CONSTRAINT OF TIME, I INADVERTENTLY ANSWERED COCKPIT DOOR TO SWITCH POS WITH CAPT TO EXPEDITE EXCHANGE.

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 B737-300 crew member relieved the other for lavatory break, the flight controls were momentarily left unattended.