A320 crew had an ECAM 'overwing exit' warning after leaving the gate. They returned to the gate, and...

Attributes
ACN	628763
Time
Date	200408
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	628763
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 245 flight time total : 5522 flight time type : 660
ASRS Report	628769
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other other : 3,4
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During taxi out for departure, an overwing exit ECAM was received. In accordance with airplane flight manual procedures, we accomplished an inspection of the slide activation cover which was found to be intact. We contacted maintenance in accordance with flight operations manual procedures and returned to gate per instruction. After engine shutdown and maintenance boarded, the slide was discharged by maintenance personnel during their tests of the system. The slide was not discharged during taxi out nor during parking. It occurred after engine shutdown at the gate. Maintenance supervisory personnel observed the activation and took the aircraft OTS at that time. I personally inspected the activated slide for evidence of abrasion and scuffing on the trailing edge as might be seen due to taxiing with a slide deployed. There was absolutely no evidence of this. The slide was 'clean as a whistle' out of its container perfect. There were no adherent particles of asphalt or cinders, no grass, debris and no scratches.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW HAD AN ECAM 'OVERWING EXIT' WARNING AFTER LEAVING THE GATE. THEY RETURNED TO THE GATE, AND MAINT ACCIDENTALLY DISCHARGED THE L-HAND OVERWING SLIDE.

Narrative: DURING TAXI OUT FOR DEP, AN OVERWING EXIT ECAM WAS RECEIVED. IN ACCORDANCE WITH AIRPLANE FLT MANUAL PROCS, WE ACCOMPLISHED AN INSPECTION OF THE SLIDE ACTIVATION COVER WHICH WAS FOUND TO BE INTACT. WE CONTACTED MAINT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLIGHT OPS MANUAL PROCS AND RETURNED TO GATE PER INSTRUCTION. AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN AND MAINT BOARDED, THE SLIDE WAS DISCHARGED BY MAINT PERSONNEL DURING THEIR TESTS OF THE SYS. THE SLIDE WAS NOT DISCHARGED DURING TAXI OUT NOR DURING PARKING. IT OCCURRED AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN AT THE GATE. MAINT SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL OBSERVED THE ACTIVATION AND TOOK THE ACFT OTS AT THAT TIME. I PERSONALLY INSPECTED THE ACTIVATED SLIDE FOR EVIDENCE OF ABRASION AND SCUFFING ON THE TRAILING EDGE AS MIGHT BE SEEN DUE TO TAXIING WITH A SLIDE DEPLOYED. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE OF THIS. THE SLIDE WAS 'CLEAN AS A WHISTLE' OUT OF ITS CONTAINER PERFECT. THERE WERE NO ADHERENT PARTICLES OF ASPHALT OR CINDERS, NO GRASS, DEBRIS AND NO SCRATCHES.

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.

A320 crew had an ECAM 'overwing exit' warning after leaving the gate. They returned to the gate, and maintenance accidentally discharged the l-hand overwing slide.