Captain fails to don oxygen immediately when first officer leaves his seat.

Attributes
ACN	273998
Time
Date	199406
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jax
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise 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 : 100 flight time total : 12300 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	273998
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At 31000 ft I instructed first officer to go to cabin to inspect loose overhead panel. I did not immediately go to oxygen. First officer and I are reserve pilots. We were called to the airport with very little time to get there. Arrived 15 mins prior to scheduled departure. FAA air carrier inspector was waiting. Prepared aircraft (first officer arrived 5-10 mins prior to scheduled departure) and departed on schedule. Flight was short 57 mins atl-dab. On takeoff got warning lights for reverser lock problem. Climb out was busy avoiding broken cumulus clouds. Very busy talking to company reporting problem. At cruise flight attendant calls about overhead bin coming down on passenger. I instructed first officer to return to cabin and check. At this time I turned to watch FAA inspector go through the cumbersome process of getting out of jumpseat (B737). I should have immediately donned my oxygen mask. First officer had unbuckled his seat belt, turned sideways and also was watching FAA inspector. At this point inspector advised me to go on oxygen. I also had not flown for 3 weeks and first officer had not flown for 5 weeks. It was a very fast paced day with a lot of distrs and a slightly rusty crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT FAILS TO DON OXYGEN IMMEDIATELY WHEN FO LEAVES HIS SEAT.

Narrative: AT 31000 FT I INSTRUCTED FO TO GO TO CABIN TO INSPECT LOOSE OVERHEAD PANEL. I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY GO TO OXYGEN. FO AND I ARE RESERVE PLTS. WE WERE CALLED TO THE ARPT WITH VERY LITTLE TIME TO GET THERE. ARRIVED 15 MINS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED DEP. FAA ACR INSPECTOR WAS WAITING. PREPARED ACFT (FO ARRIVED 5-10 MINS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED DEP) AND DEPARTED ON SCHEDULE. FLT WAS SHORT 57 MINS ATL-DAB. ON TKOF GOT WARNING LIGHTS FOR REVERSER LOCK PROB. CLBOUT WAS BUSY AVOIDING BROKEN CUMULUS CLOUDS. VERY BUSY TALKING TO COMPANY RPTING PROB. AT CRUISE FLT ATTENDANT CALLS ABOUT OVERHEAD BIN COMING DOWN ON PAX. I INSTRUCTED FO TO RETURN TO CABIN AND CHK. AT THIS TIME I TURNED TO WATCH FAA INSPECTOR GO THROUGH THE CUMBERSOME PROCESS OF GETTING OUT OF JUMPSEAT (B737). I SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY DONNED MY OXYGEN MASK. FO HAD UNBUCKLED HIS SEAT BELT, TURNED SIDEWAYS AND ALSO WAS WATCHING FAA INSPECTOR. AT THIS POINT INSPECTOR ADVISED ME TO GO ON OXYGEN. I ALSO HAD NOT FLOWN FOR 3 WKS AND FO HAD NOT FLOWN FOR 5 WKS. IT WAS A VERY FAST PACED DAY WITH A LOT OF DISTRS AND A SLIGHTLY RUSTY CREW.

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.