Narrative:

Flight contacted me at XA06Z regarding limitations of flammable liquid we can carry. I referred to fom as well as hazardous material guide and found a limit of 25 KG/litres or 50 pounds. I passed this on to crew. They replied with information from their crew notification form of 130 litres at 286 pounds all in 1 compartment. A series of phone calls followed to try to verify what was actually on the aircraft. The best information we could gather showed approximately 140 pounds of flammable liquid, all in the same compartment. With this information, I felt the best course of action was to divert to anc and, have the flammable liquid shipment removed. Supplemental information from acn 287580: normally, when a hazardous goods advisory is boarded, it is brought to the flight deck, where the so performing preflight duties sees it first, then it is placed on captain yoke for his information. This day, it was delivered to the flight planning area in operations. The 2 capts began a discussion about the various hazardous goods boarded (including dry ice and flammable liquid). They were distraction by other flight planning duties and soon forgot about the hazardous material. The captain placed the form in his flight bag for later perusal. Because of this -- I was not even aware we had hazardous material on board! I normally look these forms over closely. I may not have spotted the mistake either -- but I was never given the opportunity. Any hazardous material load form should be made available to all crew members before flight for discussion. Supplemental information from acn 287239: the type of hazardous material was discussed, but we failed to realize that the amount exceeded the aircraft limits. After several messages to company dispatch, it was revealed that we could not actually determine the exact amount of flammable liquid on board. A mutual decision was made to divert to anc. And off load the hazardous material.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR WDB HAD TO DIVERT LAND TO OFF-LOAD AN EXCESSIVE LOAD OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.

Narrative: FLT CONTACTED ME AT XA06Z REGARDING LIMITATIONS OF FLAMMABLE LIQUID WE CAN CARRY. I REFERRED TO FOM AS WELL AS HAZARDOUS MATERIAL GUIDE AND FOUND A LIMIT OF 25 KG/LITRES OR 50 LBS. I PASSED THIS ON TO CREW. THEY REPLIED WITH INFO FROM THEIR CREW NOTIFICATION FORM OF 130 LITRES AT 286 LBS ALL IN 1 COMPARTMENT. A SERIES OF PHONE CALLS FOLLOWED TO TRY TO VERIFY WHAT WAS ACTUALLY ON THE ACFT. THE BEST INFO WE COULD GATHER SHOWED APPROX 140 LBS OF FLAMMABLE LIQUID, ALL IN THE SAME COMPARTMENT. WITH THIS INFO, I FELT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO DIVERT TO ANC AND, HAVE THE FLAMMABLE LIQUID SHIPMENT REMOVED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 287580: NORMALLY, WHEN A HAZARDOUS GOODS ADVISORY IS BOARDED, IT IS BROUGHT TO THE FLT DECK, WHERE THE SO PERFORMING PREFLT DUTIES SEES IT FIRST, THEN IT IS PLACED ON CAPT YOKE FOR HIS INFO. THIS DAY, IT WAS DELIVERED TO THE FLT PLANNING AREA IN OPS. THE 2 CAPTS BEGAN A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE VARIOUS HAZARDOUS GOODS BOARDED (INCLUDING DRY ICE AND FLAMMABLE LIQUID). THEY WERE DISTR BY OTHER FLT PLANNING DUTIES AND SOON FORGOT ABOUT THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL. THE CAPT PLACED THE FORM IN HIS FLT BAG FOR LATER PERUSAL. BECAUSE OF THIS -- I WAS NOT EVEN AWARE WE HAD HAZARDOUS MATERIAL ON BOARD! I NORMALLY LOOK THESE FORMS OVER CLOSELY. I MAY NOT HAVE SPOTTED THE MISTAKE EITHER -- BUT I WAS NEVER GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY. ANY HAZARDOUS MATERIAL LOAD FORM SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL CREW MEMBERS BEFORE FLT FOR DISCUSSION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 287239: THE TYPE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL WAS DISCUSSED, BUT WE FAILED TO REALIZE THAT THE AMOUNT EXCEEDED THE ACFT LIMITS. AFTER SEVERAL MESSAGES TO COMPANY DISPATCH, IT WAS REVEALED THAT WE COULD NOT ACTUALLY DETERMINE THE EXACT AMOUNT OF FLAMMABLE LIQUID ON BOARD. A MUTUAL DECISION WAS MADE TO DIVERT TO ANC. AND OFF LOAD THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL.

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.