Cabin attendants aboard A320 fail to disarm slide prior to opening door on arrival. Slide deploys.

Attributes
ACN	739920
Time
Date	200705
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
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 attendant : on duty
ASRS Report	739920
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified
ASRS Report	739922
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Cabin Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After landing and taxiing to the gate and the seatbelt sign turned off; I heard the purser say to disarm doors for arrival. As I started to lift the handle I saw the white light blink on. My first thought was that the cabin wouldn't still be pressurized. My second thought was I wondered if this door was going to cause problems like door 2L. (Upon leaving; I armed both door 2L and 2R after the arm doors announcement was made. Flight attendant #3 was in the aisle attending to passenger. Door 2L wouldn't arm. I felt the door needed to be opened and re-closed so I called the captain for his approval; which he gave. After opening then closing 2L; it armed properly. I told flight attendant #3 about this when she came to the aft of the aircraft.) so I pulled the handle up a little stronger and the door opened (I wondered why -- that shouldn't be happening) and the slide inflated; at which point I finally realized I pulled up the wrong handle. Supervisors came on board to take a look. Slide was detached from the plane and the door was closed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANTS ABOARD A320 FAIL TO DISARM SLIDE PRIOR TO OPENING DOOR ON ARRIVAL. SLIDE DEPLOYS.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AND TAXIING TO THE GATE AND THE SEATBELT SIGN TURNED OFF; I HEARD THE PURSER SAY TO DISARM DOORS FOR ARR. AS I STARTED TO LIFT THE HANDLE I SAW THE WHITE LIGHT BLINK ON. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT THE CABIN WOULDN'T STILL BE PRESSURIZED. MY SECOND THOUGHT WAS I WONDERED IF THIS DOOR WAS GOING TO CAUSE PROBS LIKE DOOR 2L. (UPON LEAVING; I ARMED BOTH DOOR 2L AND 2R AFTER THE ARM DOORS ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE. FLT ATTENDANT #3 WAS IN THE AISLE ATTENDING TO PAX. DOOR 2L WOULDN'T ARM. I FELT THE DOOR NEEDED TO BE OPENED AND RE-CLOSED SO I CALLED THE CAPT FOR HIS APPROVAL; WHICH HE GAVE. AFTER OPENING THEN CLOSING 2L; IT ARMED PROPERLY. I TOLD FLT ATTENDANT #3 ABOUT THIS WHEN SHE CAME TO THE AFT OF THE ACFT.) SO I PULLED THE HANDLE UP A LITTLE STRONGER AND THE DOOR OPENED (I WONDERED WHY -- THAT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING) AND THE SLIDE INFLATED; AT WHICH POINT I FINALLY REALIZED I PULLED UP THE WRONG HANDLE. SUPVRS CAME ON BOARD TO TAKE A LOOK. SLIDE WAS DETACHED FROM THE PLANE AND THE DOOR WAS CLOSED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.