Narrative:

We had a full aircraft with 1 jump seat open. Already late for departure, operations agent told me we had one too many passenger. A few mins later, he said one of the passenger was one of our mechanics and asked if I would mind him riding as a second cockpit jump seater. I agreed without checking his credentials. Climbing through approximately 15000 ft, the mechanic mentioned he worked for another airline. It turns out that he previously worked for us, but had left. One of our current mechanics recognized him in the jetway and the operations agent assumed he still worked for us. As a result, the operations agent never checked his credentials before telling me that he worked for us. Lesson learned: no matter how late you are or who tells you someone is qualified to ride the jump seat, always check credentials.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON ESSENTIAL COCKPIT OCCUPANT. FLC BEHAVIOR UNFAMILIAR WITH OP. VIOLATION OF AIRLINE MGMNT POLICY FARS.

Narrative: WE HAD A FULL ACFT WITH 1 JUMP SEAT OPEN. ALREADY LATE FOR DEP, OPS AGENT TOLD ME WE HAD ONE TOO MANY PAX. A FEW MINS LATER, HE SAID ONE OF THE PAX WAS ONE OF OUR MECHS AND ASKED IF I WOULD MIND HIM RIDING AS A SECOND COCKPIT JUMP SEATER. I AGREED WITHOUT CHKING HIS CREDENTIALS. CLBING THROUGH APPROX 15000 FT, THE MECH MENTIONED HE WORKED FOR ANOTHER AIRLINE. IT TURNS OUT THAT HE PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR US, BUT HAD LEFT. ONE OF OUR CURRENT MECHS RECOGNIZED HIM IN THE JETWAY AND THE OPS AGENT ASSUMED HE STILL WORKED FOR US. AS A RESULT, THE OPS AGENT NEVER CHKED HIS CREDENTIALS BEFORE TELLING ME THAT HE WORKED FOR US. LESSON LEARNED: NO MATTER HOW LATE YOU ARE OR WHO TELLS YOU SOMEONE IS QUALIFIED TO RIDE THE JUMP SEAT, ALWAYS CHK CREDENTIALS.

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.