Narrative:

Below 10000 ft MSL during vectors for approach, flight attendant called to state a passenger was trapped in the lavatory. The lavatory was the sliding door type. I gave the flight attendant some guidance to alleviate the situation, but all of her efforts failed. After considering all safety and security factors, such as a ruse to get a pilot out of the cockpit, I elected to land with the passenger trapped in the lavatory. I contacted moc (maintenance operations center) on the ground. They contacted maintenance. The passenger was finally freed from the lavatory after 15-20 mins of effort and the lavatory was MEL'ed as inoperative. The problem was due to binding of the sliding door at the bottom starboard corner. When the door was reclosed per the MEL, the flight attendant stated that it was stuck closed with the same problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMBRAER 135 ON VECTOR FOR APCH BELOW 10000 FT HAS FLT ATTENDANT RPT PAX TRAPPED IN LAVATORY. PAX FREED AFTER 15-20 MINS ON GND.

Narrative: BELOW 10000 FT MSL DURING VECTORS FOR APCH, FLT ATTENDANT CALLED TO STATE A PAX WAS TRAPPED IN THE LAVATORY. THE LAVATORY WAS THE SLIDING DOOR TYPE. I GAVE THE FLT ATTENDANT SOME GUIDANCE TO ALLEVIATE THE SIT, BUT ALL OF HER EFFORTS FAILED. AFTER CONSIDERING ALL SAFETY AND SECURITY FACTORS, SUCH AS A RUSE TO GET A PLT OUT OF THE COCKPIT, I ELECTED TO LAND WITH THE PAX TRAPPED IN THE LAVATORY. I CONTACTED MOC (MAINT OPS CTR) ON THE GND. THEY CONTACTED MAINT. THE PAX WAS FINALLY FREED FROM THE LAVATORY AFTER 15-20 MINS OF EFFORT AND THE LAVATORY WAS MEL'ED AS INOP. THE PROB WAS DUE TO BINDING OF THE SLIDING DOOR AT THE BOTTOM STARBOARD CORNER. WHEN THE DOOR WAS RECLOSED PER THE MEL, THE FLT ATTENDANT STATED THAT IT WAS STUCK CLOSED WITH THE SAME PROB.

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.