A B757 CAPT RPTS EMER FLT DECK ACCESS SWITCH COVER IF LEFT PARTIALLY OPEN CAN PREVENT COCKPIT DOOR FROM BEING OPENED.

Narrative

ON THE 757 THE LOCATION OF THE EMER FLT DECK ACCESS SWITCH ON THE COCKPIT DOOR FRAME CREATES A SIT WHEREBY THE SWITCH COVER CAN OPEN TO A POINT THAT CAN PREVENT THE COCKPIT DOOR FROM BEING OPENED. THERE IS A SMALL LIP ON THE SWITCH COVER THAT CAN CATCH ON THE COCKPIT DOOR FRAME IF THE COVER IS OPENED ABOUT 3/4 INCH. PUSHING THE COCKPIT DOOR OPEN FROM THE INSIDE WILL NOT ALWAYS MOVE THE COVER PANEL ASIDE. BECAUSE OF THE THICKNESS OF THE PLASTIC AND THE WAY IT ALIGNS WITH THE EDGE OF THE COCKPIT DOOR IT APPEARS THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE A LARGE AMOUNT OF FORCE TO FORCE THE DOOR OPEN IF IT IS BLOCKED. THIS PROB IS THE RESULT OF THE SWITCH LOCATION AND/OR THE DESIGN OF THE COVER PANEL. THE PANEL COULD BE REVERSED SO THAT THE HINGE IS ON THE L INSTEAD OF THE R SIDE. THIS MIGHT ALLOW THE COCKPIT DOOR TO PUSH THE COVER PANEL CLOSED. IN ANY EVENT; WHEN THE COVER PANEL DOES THIS; IT EFFECTIVELY BLOCKS THE PRIMARY COCKPIT EMER EXIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE EMER FLT DECK ACCESS SWITCH LOCATED ON THE DOOR FRAME IN THE CABIN HAS A THICK PLASTIC COVER AND WHEN PARTIALLY OPENED ABOUT PT 75 INCH CAN BLOCK AND INTERFERE WITH THE COCKPIT DOOR WHEN OPENED.