When the flight attendants were unable to arm the slide at door L2 of the ERJ170 the Captain attempted to reclose the door which resulted in the deployment of the slide.
Synopsis
When the flight attendants were unable to arm the slide at door L2 of the ERJ170 the Captain attempted to reclose the door which resulted in the deployment of the slide.
Narrative
Caterers were catering from the R2 door because they couldn't access L2 door. I checked all indicators and arming levers. All were in disarmed mode. After passengers boarded; compliance check complete and safety demo completed; Flight Attendant A called for arming of the doors. L2 arming lever would not come down to arming position. I checked all indicators and found they were clear. I called Flight Attendant A and she came back and tried to arm door unsuccessfully. I tried again using all my weight to engage arming lever with no results. Flight Attendant A called Captain who immediately came to the door and Flight Attendant A returned to the forward galley. Captain tried to arm L2 unsuccessfully.He checked all indicators and I rechecked with my flashlight. All indicators were in disarmed mode. The girtbar indicator was clear. Captain opened the door to re-close it and the slide deployed. The slide did not deploy correctly. It hung at an extreme angle toward the rear of the aircraft. If this slide had been the only slide available in an emergency the passengers would have fallen off the side half way down and there would have been many injuries. It was definitely a faulty slide.
Second reporter narrative
After the gate agent closed the L1 door I made announcement to prepare doors for departure. I got a call saying L2 door wouldn't arm; that the arming handle was stuck in the disarm position. I told the Captain and First Officer that I would go back and try as well.The other Flight Attendant even got out her flashlight and got on her knees. I called up to the Captain and said there is no way this door would arm. I returned to the front and he came to the back. Within a few minutes I heard a loud hiss which was the slide deploying. I told the First Officer immediately and he started making calls immediately. After all the passengers deplaned; I went back to see the slide and it was apparent it was defective.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.