Narrative:

I was assigned to dhd msp dca. I decided it was a good way to get a takeoff and landing so I asked the first officer if I could fly the leg. The flight was oversold and late. Due to the curfew at dca we told the agent that he could close the dock but that we would not push until all passenger were seated. When it appeared that they were seated we pushed back only to find that we had 185 passenger on a 184 seat airplane. I made the decision that there was a F/a seat open, that as long as the passenger sat on a 2 seat jump seat with a F/a next to him, that we could continue without having to go back to the gate and deplane the passenger. I would really like to know for sure, if this is and was legal. All the far's say is a 'suitable' seat. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter is an assistant chief pilot for this company and he took the responsibility for using the jump seat. He says the passenger was given a free ride and so far everyone is happy and probably will remain so if he does not talk out of turn and the 'feds' get into the act. The dca curfew rushed this departure and the PIC gave the ok to close the door and push back by looking back down the isle and saying everyone is seated when in fact this was not true in the extreme rear of the cabin. Advised the reporter that he should check his company manuals for a company restriction to the procedure.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG MADE TKOF WITH A PASSENGER ON CABIN JUMP SEAT BECAUSE TOO MANY PASSENGERS HAD BEEN BOARDED AND DESTINATION CURFEW MADE A RETURN TO THE BLOCKS AN UNACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVE.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED TO DHD MSP DCA. I DECIDED IT WAS A GOOD WAY TO GET A TKOF AND LNDG SO I ASKED THE F/O IF I COULD FLY THE LEG. THE FLT WAS OVERSOLD AND LATE. DUE TO THE CURFEW AT DCA WE TOLD THE AGENT THAT HE COULD CLOSE THE DOCK BUT THAT WE WOULD NOT PUSH UNTIL ALL PAX WERE SEATED. WHEN IT APPEARED THAT THEY WERE SEATED WE PUSHED BACK ONLY TO FIND THAT WE HAD 185 PAX ON A 184 SEAT AIRPLANE. I MADE THE DECISION THAT THERE WAS A F/A SEAT OPEN, THAT AS LONG AS THE PAX SAT ON A 2 SEAT JUMP SEAT WITH A F/A NEXT TO HIM, THAT WE COULD CONTINUE WITHOUT HAVING TO GO BACK TO THE GATE AND DEPLANE THE PAX. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW FOR SURE, IF THIS IS AND WAS LEGAL. ALL THE FAR'S SAY IS A 'SUITABLE' SEAT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER IS AN ASSISTANT CHIEF PLT FOR THIS COMPANY AND HE TOOK THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR USING THE JUMP SEAT. HE SAYS THE PAX WAS GIVEN A FREE RIDE AND SO FAR EVERYONE IS HAPPY AND PROBABLY WILL REMAIN SO IF HE DOES NOT TALK OUT OF TURN AND THE 'FEDS' GET INTO THE ACT. THE DCA CURFEW RUSHED THIS DEP AND THE PIC GAVE THE OK TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND PUSH BACK BY LOOKING BACK DOWN THE ISLE AND SAYING EVERYONE IS SEATED WHEN IN FACT THIS WAS NOT TRUE IN THE EXTREME REAR OF THE CABIN. ADVISED THE REPORTER THAT HE SHOULD CHECK HIS COMPANY MANUALS FOR A COMPANY RESTRICTION TO THE PROC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.