Narrative:

The aircraft was oversold and approximately 30 passenger and 8 dead-heading F/a's (crew members from other trips, etc, trying to pass ride) were being denied boarding. I, as the captain, was approached by several about the possibility of using the cockpit jump seat. In order to accommodate at least 1 fellow employee I agreed to let an F/a use the cockpit jump seat. Prior to departure from dca, a fueler reported what he thought was suspicious activity in the cockpit and imagined it was possibly drug related. The resultant investigations and drug testing proved very costly and embarrassing, causing cancelled sequences and time off from work. Pilots should not place themselves in jeopardy or at least distracting situations by allowing unauthorized jump seat rider. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: a disagreement between the second officer and FBO fueling crew started the problem. The ground crew made a comment that was later reported to the FAA that the crew was using drugs and at the next stop, atl, the full crew including the jump seat rider were tested. Everyone passed the test but the unauthorized rider was exposed and the company took action against the reporter putting him on the beach for a substantial monetary loss. He says he now preaches to all who will listen that the loss and problems that can result are not worth chancing. He indicated that misuse of the jump seat is not uncommon, at least on his airline. Bet that will change.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC OF ACR LGT IS CAUGHT BENDING THE RULES ABOUT COCKPIT JUMP SEAT RIDERS. AN UNRELATED ACT LED TO THE FLT CREW BEING DRUG TESTED AND DURING THIS TEST THE JUMP SEAT INCIDENT WAS REVEALED.

Narrative: THE ACFT WAS OVERSOLD AND APPROX 30 PAX AND 8 DEAD-HEADING F/A'S (CREW MEMBERS FROM OTHER TRIPS, ETC, TRYING TO PASS RIDE) WERE BEING DENIED BOARDING. I, AS THE CAPT, WAS APCHED BY SEVERAL ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF USING THE COCKPIT JUMP SEAT. IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE AT LEAST 1 FELLOW EMPLOYEE I AGREED TO LET AN F/A USE THE COCKPIT JUMP SEAT. PRIOR TO DEP FROM DCA, A FUELER RPTED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IN THE COCKPIT AND IMAGINED IT WAS POSSIBLY DRUG RELATED. THE RESULTANT INVESTIGATIONS AND DRUG TESTING PROVED VERY COSTLY AND EMBARRASSING, CAUSING CANCELLED SEQUENCES AND TIME OFF FROM WORK. PLTS SHOULD NOT PLACE THEMSELVES IN JEOPARDY OR AT LEAST DISTRACTING SITUATIONS BY ALLOWING UNAUTH JUMP SEAT RIDER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: A DISAGREEMENT BTWN THE S/O AND FBO FUELING CREW STARTED THE PROB. THE GND CREW MADE A COMMENT THAT WAS LATER RPTED TO THE FAA THAT THE CREW WAS USING DRUGS AND AT THE NEXT STOP, ATL, THE FULL CREW INCLUDING THE JUMP SEAT RIDER WERE TESTED. EVERYONE PASSED THE TEST BUT THE UNAUTH RIDER WAS EXPOSED AND THE COMPANY TOOK ACTION AGAINST THE RPTR PUTTING HIM ON THE BEACH FOR A SUBSTANTIAL MONETARY LOSS. HE SAYS HE NOW PREACHES TO ALL WHO WILL LISTEN THAT THE LOSS AND PROBS THAT CAN RESULT ARE NOT WORTH CHANCING. HE INDICATED THAT MISUSE OF THE JUMP SEAT IS NOT UNCOMMON, AT LEAST ON HIS AIRLINE. BET THAT WILL CHANGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.