Captain of light transport air carrier aircraft operated aircraft without required equipment.

Attributes
ACN	238669
Time
Date	199303
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdt
State Reference	PA
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, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight landing other
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 : 5100 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	238669
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Our aircraft arrived at the gate 45 mins after departure time. This was a morning originating flight from a maintenance base. Due to passenger connections in bwi, station personnel were somewhat pushy to depart as soon as possible. We (myself and first officer) conducted our company originating checklist for acceptance of the aircraft. While doing this list, there were many interruptions. Some being: no aircraft logbook (still at maintenance hangar), cowling fastener on engine needing secured, and station personnel checking on weight restrictions at time of boarding. I neglected to check tail battery voltage (as outline on checklist). The aircraft was on external power supply, which causes tail battery volts to read 0 normally. I would have had to select the interconnect on the electrical master to read tail and main battery voltage. This I failed to do. Upon arriving bwi, I noticed 0 volts on tail battery. I made an entry in aircraft log and call maintenance. Bwi maintenance personnel found no battery in tail of aircraft. The aircraft was flown without a tail battery. The battery was replaced in bwi (or installed) before any more flts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF LTT ACR ACFT OPERATED ACFT WITHOUT REQUIRED EQUIP.

Narrative: OUR ACFT ARRIVED AT THE GATE 45 MINS AFTER DEP TIME. THIS WAS A MORNING ORIGINATING FLT FROM A MAINT BASE. DUE TO PAX CONNECTIONS IN BWI, STATION PERSONNEL WERE SOMEWHAT PUSHY TO DEPART ASAP. WE (MYSELF AND FO) CONDUCTED OUR COMPANY ORIGINATING CHKLIST FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE ACFT. WHILE DOING THIS LIST, THERE WERE MANY INTERRUPTIONS. SOME BEING: NO ACFT LOGBOOK (STILL AT MAINT HANGAR), COWLING FASTENER ON ENG NEEDING SECURED, AND STATION PERSONNEL CHKING ON WT RESTRICTIONS AT TIME OF BOARDING. I NEGLECTED TO CHK TAIL BATTERY VOLTAGE (AS OUTLINE ON CHKLIST). THE ACFT WAS ON EXTERNAL PWR SUPPLY, WHICH CAUSES TAIL BATTERY VOLTS TO READ 0 NORMALLY. I WOULD HAVE HAD TO SELECT THE INTERCONNECT ON THE ELECTRICAL MASTER TO READ TAIL AND MAIN BATTERY VOLTAGE. THIS I FAILED TO DO. UPON ARRIVING BWI, I NOTICED 0 VOLTS ON TAIL BATTERY. I MADE AN ENTRY IN ACFT LOG AND CALL MAINT. BWI MAINT PERSONNEL FOUND NO BATTERY IN TAIL OF ACFT. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN WITHOUT A TAIL BATTERY. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED IN BWI (OR INSTALLED) BEFORE ANY MORE FLTS.

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.