Narrative:

Other company pilots told me that with a vertical barrier cargo net (between crew and cabin) in place the cabin becomes a cargo area. With this knowledge the cargo areas do not need horizontal barriers (nets over the cargo). As long as all cargo is either forward or aft you are within center of gravity limits. When a ramp check was performed on my aircraft, I had the vertical barrier in place. The horizontal barrier was holding small loose articles securely. However, several bags of heavy objects were on the floor uncovered but wedged between the vertical net and the other freight in the horizontal net. This prevented horizontal movement and most vertical movement also. The FAA during the inspection asked about the horizontal barrier not covering (all) of the cargo. They were informed of the information in this description, at which point they were not sure if it became a cargo area with the vertical barrier in place. They were also unsure if it was not a cargo area or if the cargo was secured well enough. After the inspection they said there were no problems with the situation or ramp inspection. I looked into the matter and found the horizontal barrier must be used unless the area is 100 percent full. At that point the vertical barrier only may be used. I made a bad decision to use the information given to me be a fellow pilot west/O first checking with the company on current operating procedures. Instead I assumed it was reliable information and changed my personal operating procedures. This information concerning placement is company policy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING A RAMP CHECK FAA QUESTIONED ADEQUATE HORIZONTAL RESTRAINING AND VERTICAL NET RESTRAINT.

Narrative: OTHER COMPANY PLTS TOLD ME THAT WITH A VERT BARRIER CARGO NET (BTWN CREW AND CABIN) IN PLACE THE CABIN BECOMES A CARGO AREA. WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE THE CARGO AREAS DO NOT NEED HORIZ BARRIERS (NETS OVER THE CARGO). AS LONG AS ALL CARGO IS EITHER FORWARD OR AFT YOU ARE WITHIN CTR OF GRAVITY LIMITS. WHEN A RAMP CHK WAS PERFORMED ON MY ACFT, I HAD THE VERT BARRIER IN PLACE. THE HORIZ BARRIER WAS HOLDING SMALL LOOSE ARTICLES SECURELY. HOWEVER, SEVERAL BAGS OF HVY OBJECTS WERE ON THE FLOOR UNCOVERED BUT WEDGED BTWN THE VERT NET AND THE OTHER FREIGHT IN THE HORIZ NET. THIS PREVENTED HORIZ MOVEMENT AND MOST VERT MOVEMENT ALSO. THE FAA DURING THE INSPECTION ASKED ABOUT THE HORIZ BARRIER NOT COVERING (ALL) OF THE CARGO. THEY WERE INFORMED OF THE INFO IN THIS DESCRIPTION, AT WHICH POINT THEY WERE NOT SURE IF IT BECAME A CARGO AREA WITH THE VERT BARRIER IN PLACE. THEY WERE ALSO UNSURE IF IT WAS NOT A CARGO AREA OR IF THE CARGO WAS SECURED WELL ENOUGH. AFTER THE INSPECTION THEY SAID THERE WERE NO PROBS WITH THE SITUATION OR RAMP INSPECTION. I LOOKED INTO THE MATTER AND FOUND THE HORIZ BARRIER MUST BE USED UNLESS THE AREA IS 100 PERCENT FULL. AT THAT POINT THE VERT BARRIER ONLY MAY BE USED. I MADE A BAD DECISION TO USE THE INFO GIVEN TO ME BE A FELLOW PLT W/O FIRST CHKING WITH THE COMPANY ON CURRENT OPERATING PROCS. INSTEAD I ASSUMED IT WAS RELIABLE INFO AND CHANGED MY PERSONAL OPERATING PROCS. THIS INFO CONCERNING PLACEMENT IS COMPANY POLICY.

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.