Narrative:

The crew of flight XXX had completed all before takeoff checklists up to and including passenger briefing, when at approximately 120 yards before the holding point of runway 27 at tlh, tower advised flight XXX was cleared for takeoff. The crew responded that they required a further 30 seconds to complete checklists. ATC repeated again that flight XXX was cleared for takeoff. The flight attendant was slower than normal completing her checks, before coming forward to give her cabin report. As the aircraft approached the holding point she did come forward and proceeded to close the cabin door which the captain (self) saw initiated. At this time, the captain's attention was directed towards another aircraft about 3 mi out, cleared to land. He heard the first officer complete the checklist and continued slowly past the holding point and slowly onto runway 27 centerline. This was done slowly and took some 10-15 seconds to allow time for the flight attendant to situation and strap in. An uneventful takeoff was completed. To the best of the captain's (self) knowledge, the cabin doors were closed during the time from passing the holding point throughout the takeoff roll and remained closed throughout the flight. At no time during the flight did the flight attendant or first officer mention any abnormality or mention anything abnormal about the tlh departure although it later transpires the cabin doors were open and the flight attendant not strapped in for departure. At no time was the captain (self) made aware of the door or flight attendant status although the first officer knew and continued with his takeoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E120 CREW TOOK OFF WITHOUT THE FLT ATTENDANT BEING SEATED. THE COCKPIT DOOR WAS ALSO LEFT OPEN.

Narrative: THE CREW OF FLT XXX HAD COMPLETED ALL BEFORE TKOF CHKLISTS UP TO AND INCLUDING PAX BRIEFING, WHEN AT APPROX 120 YARDS BEFORE THE HOLDING POINT OF RWY 27 AT TLH, TWR ADVISED FLT XXX WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. THE CREW RESPONDED THAT THEY REQUIRED A FURTHER 30 SECONDS TO COMPLETE CHKLISTS. ATC REPEATED AGAIN THAT FLT XXX WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS SLOWER THAN NORMAL COMPLETING HER CHKS, BEFORE COMING FORWARD TO GIVE HER CABIN RPT. AS THE ACFT APCHED THE HOLDING POINT SHE DID COME FORWARD AND PROCEEDED TO CLOSE THE CABIN DOOR WHICH THE CAPT (SELF) SAW INITIATED. AT THIS TIME, THE CAPT'S ATTN WAS DIRECTED TOWARDS ANOTHER ACFT ABOUT 3 MI OUT, CLRED TO LAND. HE HEARD THE FO COMPLETE THE CHKLIST AND CONTINUED SLOWLY PAST THE HOLDING POINT AND SLOWLY ONTO RWY 27 CTRLINE. THIS WAS DONE SLOWLY AND TOOK SOME 10-15 SECONDS TO ALLOW TIME FOR THE FLT ATTENDANT TO SIT AND STRAP IN. AN UNEVENTFUL TKOF WAS COMPLETED. TO THE BEST OF THE CAPT'S (SELF) KNOWLEDGE, THE CABIN DOORS WERE CLOSED DURING THE TIME FROM PASSING THE HOLDING POINT THROUGHOUT THE TKOF ROLL AND REMAINED CLOSED THROUGHOUT THE FLT. AT NO TIME DURING THE FLT DID THE FLT ATTENDANT OR FO MENTION ANY ABNORMALITY OR MENTION ANYTHING ABNORMAL ABOUT THE TLH DEP ALTHOUGH IT LATER TRANSPIRES THE CABIN DOORS WERE OPEN AND THE FLT ATTENDANT NOT STRAPPED IN FOR DEP. AT NO TIME WAS THE CAPT (SELF) MADE AWARE OF THE DOOR OR FLT ATTENDANT STATUS ALTHOUGH THE FO KNEW AND CONTINUED WITH HIS TKOF.

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.