MD80 flight crew inadvertently deploys the tail cone while attempting to raise aft stairwell.

Attributes
ACN	578451
Time
Date	200304
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	578451
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Cabin Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Location -- maintenance ramp at austin, departure XA30Z and taxied to maintenance ramp for 1 hour ATC delay. 6 passenger deplaned via aft stairwell, because they did not wish to travel to dfw due to the delay. Van with passenger left for terminal and stairwell was left down. At XB40Z, I went to aft stairwell, because first officer thought you could raise stairs from inside cabin. While looking at panel on right side, facing aft of stairwell, the #2 flight crew attendant trying to help, pulled handle above emergency exit door, releasing the tail cone. The handle was pulled before I could say not to pull on it. Tail cone fell to ground, causing some damage. Slide did not deploy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLC INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYS THE TAIL CONE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RAISE AFT STAIRWELL.

Narrative: LOCATION -- MAINT RAMP AT AUSTIN, DEP XA30Z AND TAXIED TO MAINT RAMP FOR 1 HR ATC DELAY. 6 PAX DEPLANED VIA AFT STAIRWELL, BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WISH TO TRAVEL TO DFW DUE TO THE DELAY. VAN WITH PAX LEFT FOR TERMINAL AND STAIRWELL WAS LEFT DOWN. AT XB40Z, I WENT TO AFT STAIRWELL, BECAUSE FO THOUGHT YOU COULD RAISE STAIRS FROM INSIDE CABIN. WHILE LOOKING AT PANEL ON R SIDE, FACING AFT OF STAIRWELL, THE #2 FLT CREW ATTENDANT TRYING TO HELP, PULLED HANDLE ABOVE EMER EXIT DOOR, RELEASING THE TAIL CONE. THE HANDLE WAS PULLED BEFORE I COULD SAY NOT TO PULL ON IT. TAIL CONE FELL TO GND, CAUSING SOME DAMAGE. SLIDE DID NOT DEPLOY.

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.