A B727-200 IN CRUISE AT FL210 HAD THE R OVERWING EMER EXIT EXTERIOR STEP UNLATCH AND DEPART THE ACFT GRAZING #3 ENG INLET COWLING.

Narrative

DURING CRUISE AT 21000 FT R EMER EXIT STEP LATCH OPENED ALLOWING STEP TO FOLD DOWN INTO AIRSTREAM. STEP LOCATED IMMEDIATELY BELOW AFT EMER EXIT HATCH ON R WING. AIRSTREAM RIPPED OFF STEP AND OBJECT HIT LOWER PART OF #3 ENG. PAX RIDING CREW MEMBER RPTED LOUD NOISE TO COCKPIT. FLT CTLS VERIFIED; ENG INSTS NORMAL. SLOW FLIGHTED ACFT PRIOR TO LNDG AND MADE NORMAL LNDG BOS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR FROM ACN 399591 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE MADE 3 WALKAROUND EXTERIOR CHKS AND THE AFT R OVERWING EXIT STEP WAS NOT DEPLOYED. THE RPTR SAID THE ONLY NOISE HEARD IN THE ACFT WAS A LIGHT OIL CANNING SOUND FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE RPTR STATED THAT SECOND HAND INFO FROM MAINT WAS THE EXIT DOOR BOTTOM EDGE HAD SOME DELAMINATION ON THE SURFACE THAT LATCHES THE DOOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR FROM ACN 399580 REVEALED HE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED A NOTICEABLE SLIGHT NOISE LIKE A BUMP; MORE LIKE WHEN A FLT ATTENDANT MOVES A GALLEY MODULE ACROSS THE GALLEY FLOOR.