737 door snag (or just me)?????

[Zoyberg]

Was about to dispatch an NG yesterday when I noticed the long thinish panel at the top of the door was not flush. Also a clear gap existed in top aft corner.Told Capt and door was openned by cabin crew...closed the door panel position improved but was still not totally flush ....although the gap at the top aft corner was now no longer there.

Capt said handle was fully in and other indications inside were normal so he was happy to go.

Aircraft went and came back OK...although I have only been doing this a few months it has always been flush before.

Is it possible for everything to look OK on the inside and not be correctly locked?

Thanks in advance

[Zoyberg]

Not been here long would I be better putting this in "Tech Log" or "Questions"?

[munster]

the top and bottom gates on the doors are designed to fold inwards when you turn the door handle to allow the door to swing outwards. when rigging the door (737cl) there are flushness limits on around the periphary of the door. if my memory serves me well, the top and bottom gates can be as much as 0.3" below flush. When the aircraft pressurises the gates are forced outwards and pulls the handle mechanism even more tightly towards closed. Occasionally when the gates have been adjusted flush you will get soft unlatching problems, which the underflush rigging usually solves. I've quoted the classic from distant memory as i've not rigged a door in years.

[Zoyberg]

Thanks munster...it looked less than one CM so sounds like it was the right decision to go. It was the same yesterday so I guess it didn't get snagged at the end of the flight either.

Our training never mentioned an allowable gap...just flush or not :O

[grounded27]

Got to back up Munster, this is a classic Boeing door. Even with the rigging limits once in service the gap will probably get larger. The only time it becomes a problem is they used to be a weak spot for pressurization leakage, no big deal just whistles a bit. If I remember correctly too small a gap and it makes it very difficult to operate the door. Basically pay no mind to them unless you see something obviously torn or broken.

[yotty]

Just a small point, if there has been a repair over the door, it can look like there is a gap even though the door is correctly rigged.

[Mr @ Spotty M]

After working over 15 years on B737s, l can inform you that the Capt who made those comments is talking out of his A***.
I have previously on a push back noticed a door which was not fully shut and its outside door handle was flush and all indications were that the door was closed in the flt deck.

[ericferret]

Quite right MR@SM.

How bad can it get.

Well how about a 737 that launched and would not pressurise.

During the take of roll a little old lady in the front row said she could "see out". The cabin crew unfortunately because of the viewing angle discounted what she said.

After the incident the aircraft flew into us for further investigation.

Primary cause was the air stair hand rail attachment bracket in the aft edge of the door frame had jammed down.
What amazed us was that even with that huge chunk of aluminium in the way and the door slightly cocked the handle still went in to lock and the light which is operated by a switch on the forward edge of the door frame went out.

We rerigged the door and reached a position where if the bracket was stuck down the door handle would not go to lock.

We also rectified the stuck bracket.

[HAWK21M]

You are reffering to the gates......Is the problem only with one gate or both the top and bottom gates.......check the rigging.