Flight crew of light transport felt security of cockpit had been violated on ground at fsd. Conducte...

Attributes
ACN	123246
Time
Date	198909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fsd
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	123246
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After a 3 hour scheduled layover at fsd we were in the process of starting the first engine. The first attempt was aborted when no egt rise occurred by 18% RPM. Circuit breakers were checked and reset. Start and speed switches were checked. It was at this time I saw both speed switches were set to 'off', that is both engines would not start until the switches were reset to automatic or manual. These switches are lift and set 3 position switches, not easily moved. I immediately recalled after settling into my seat, the pressurization selection control was halfway between manual and automatic. I passed this off as accidentally moving it as I left the aircraft earlier. Also, my radio control panel was not set as I had left it. Obvious to me, someone had been in our cockpit. The station agent was called on board. A brief discussion followed. We off-loaded all passenger and the first officer and I did a complete security check of the aircraft and reboarded the passenger. Airport security representative met with us briefly. We departed without further incident. Written report made to the director of operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LTT FELT SECURITY OF COCKPIT HAD BEEN VIOLATED ON GND AT FSD. CONDUCTED A SECURITY CHECK OF THE ACFT.

Narrative: AFTER A 3 HR SCHEDULED LAYOVER AT FSD WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF STARTING THE FIRST ENGINE. THE FIRST ATTEMPT WAS ABORTED WHEN NO EGT RISE OCCURRED BY 18% RPM. CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE CHECKED AND RESET. START AND SPEED SWITCHES WERE CHECKED. IT WAS AT THIS TIME I SAW BOTH SPEED SWITCHES WERE SET TO 'OFF', THAT IS BOTH ENGINES WOULD NOT START UNTIL THE SWITCHES WERE RESET TO AUTO OR MANUAL. THESE SWITCHES ARE LIFT AND SET 3 POSITION SWITCHES, NOT EASILY MOVED. I IMMEDIATELY RECALLED AFTER SETTLING INTO MY SEAT, THE PRESSURIZATION SELECTION CONTROL WAS HALFWAY BETWEEN MANUAL AND AUTO. I PASSED THIS OFF AS ACCIDENTALLY MOVING IT AS I LEFT THE ACFT EARLIER. ALSO, MY RADIO CONTROL PANEL WAS NOT SET AS I HAD LEFT IT. OBVIOUS TO ME, SOMEONE HAD BEEN IN OUR COCKPIT. THE STATION AGENT WAS CALLED ON BOARD. A BRIEF DISCUSSION FOLLOWED. WE OFF-LOADED ALL PAX AND THE F/O AND I DID A COMPLETE SECURITY CHECK OF THE ACFT AND REBOARDED THE PAX. ARPT SECURITY REPRESENTATIVE MET WITH US BRIEFLY. WE DEPARTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. WRITTEN REPORT MADE TO THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS.

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.

Flight crew of light transport felt security of cockpit had been violated on ground at fsd. Conducted a security check of the aircraft.