Small transport crew had a non english speaking passenger on an exit row.

Attributes
ACN	444454
Time
Date	199907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	444454
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 3
Resolutory Action	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

First officer was new, second day off IOE. FAA inspector was in the jump seat. First officer appeared nervous. During the passenger brief, first officer noticed that ticket counter had mistakenly placed a non english speaking passenger in an emergency exit row. First officer asked for english speaker to come situation in the exit seat but did not remove non english speaker, which he thought was satisfactory in that the english speaker could provide translation if required. First officer then forgot to note the seating change on the manifest. I thought flight was full so I didn't make a manifest change either. I believe this happened because first officer was new, possibly not trained well, and mostly nervous and intimidated by the presence of the inspector. Inspector also informed us that dispatch had failed to list an MEL item on our dispatch release. MEL was properly listed in aircraft maintenance log. Listing on release is information related as a reminder to the crew. Dispatch was reminded of this and remainder of releases were changed to reflect the MEL item. During the debriefing, after the flight, inspector told us that, other than these items the flight went well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT CREW HAD A NON ENGLISH SPEAKING PAX ON AN EXIT ROW.

Narrative: FO WAS NEW, SECOND DAY OFF IOE. FAA INSPECTOR WAS IN THE JUMP SEAT. FO APPEARED NERVOUS. DURING THE PAX BRIEF, FO NOTICED THAT TICKET COUNTER HAD MISTAKENLY PLACED A NON ENGLISH SPEAKING PAX IN AN EMER EXIT ROW. FO ASKED FOR ENGLISH SPEAKER TO COME SIT IN THE EXIT SEAT BUT DID NOT REMOVE NON ENGLISH SPEAKER, WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS SATISFACTORY IN THAT THE ENGLISH SPEAKER COULD PROVIDE TRANSLATION IF REQUIRED. FO THEN FORGOT TO NOTE THE SEATING CHANGE ON THE MANIFEST. I THOUGHT FLT WAS FULL SO I DIDN'T MAKE A MANIFEST CHANGE EITHER. I BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE FO WAS NEW, POSSIBLY NOT TRAINED WELL, AND MOSTLY NERVOUS AND INTIMIDATED BY THE PRESENCE OF THE INSPECTOR. INSPECTOR ALSO INFORMED US THAT DISPATCH HAD FAILED TO LIST AN MEL ITEM ON OUR DISPATCH RELEASE. MEL WAS PROPERLY LISTED IN ACFT MAINT LOG. LISTING ON RELEASE IS INFO RELATED AS A REMINDER TO THE CREW. DISPATCH WAS REMINDED OF THIS AND REMAINDER OF RELEASES WERE CHANGED TO REFLECT THE MEL ITEM. DURING THE DEBRIEFING, AFTER THE FLT, INSPECTOR TOLD US THAT, OTHER THAN THESE ITEMS THE FLT WENT WELL.

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.