AN EMB190 SLIDE FELL FROM THE 1L DOOR TO THE RAMP AND INFLATED AFTER A FLT ATTENDANT REPEATEDLY ATTEMPTED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO CLOSE THE DOOR.

Narrative

THE ACFT WAS BOARDED AND READY TO CLOSE THE DOORS WHEN THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE COCKPIT. THE FO ANSWERED THE CALL AND RPTED TO ME THAT THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT HE HAD TROUBLE CLOSING THE 1L DOOR AND THAT THE 1L DOOR ESCAPE SLIDE HAD DEPLOYED. I WENT BACK TO THE 1L DOOR AND DISCOVERED THE ESCAPE SLIDE LAYING ON THE RAMP BELOW THE ACFT IN AN INFLATED CONDITION. I CALLED MAINT AND SOON MANY SUPVRS ARRIVED TO ASSESS THE SITUATION. I SPOKE TO THE SENIOR FLT ATTENDANT AND HE RPTED THAT WHEN TRYING TO CLOSE THE 1L DOOR IT WOULD NOT CLOSE; SO HE TRIED AGAIN AND IT WOULD NOT CLOSE; HE TRIED A THIRD TIME AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE. HE THEN OPENED THE DOOR AND THE ESCAPE SLIDE FELL OUT OF ITS CONTAINER ON TO THE RAMP. (THE JETWAY WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE ACFT.) UPON FALLING TO THE RAMP THE SLIDE INFLATED AND ENDED UP IN A POS UNDER THE ACFT JUST BEHIND THE NOSE GEAR. AT NO TIME WAS THE DOOR IN AN ARMED CONDITION. THE MAINT SUPVR CONFIRMED THAT THE DOOR WAS NOT ARMED AND THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE LACING UNDER THE SLIDE CONTAINER CAME UNDONE ALLOWING THE SLIDE TO DROP OUT OF ITS CONTAINER AND ONTO THE RAMP. UPON FALLING THE RELEASE LANYARD WAS ACTIVATED AND THE SLIDE INFLATED. THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT FILLED OUT A SAFETY RPT. THE CREW WAS THEN SCHEDULED ON ANOTHER E190 TO COMPLETE FLT. IT IS UNKNOWN TO ME WHY THE DOOR WAS BINDING UPON CLOSURE AND WHAT CAUSED THE SLIDE TO FALL OUT OF ITS CONTAINER. INSPECT ALL E190 ESCAPE SLIDES ON A REGULAR BASIS. INFORM FLT ATTENDANTS NOT TO REPEATEDLY TRY TO CLOSE A BINDING DOOR; BUT TO CALL THE CAPT IF A DOOR BINDS AND FOR THE CAPT TO CALL MAINT AT FIRST SIGN OF A DOOR BINDING.