Narrative:

This flight was conducted with FAA aviation inspector xyz wxxz in the cockpit. During cruise, mr wxxz mentioned (among other things) that cracked smoke goggles had been a recent topic for him. During the flight, the first officer briefly removed his goggle from its protective pouch, noted what he determined to be an insignificant 1/4 - 1/2 inch hair line crack outside the field of vision and re-stowed the goggle. At the conclusion of the flight, mr wxxz said he was really bothered that the first officer did not call the crack to the attention of the captain. Additionally, during my debrief with mr wxxz, I disclosed that the preflight of the goggles is my (captain's) responsibility and that my preflight consists of checking for their presence. (Company maintenance is tasked with periodically making a detailed inspection of the goggles.) mr wxxz told me that he may pursue a violation/certificate action against myself and copilot. I believe a simple solution to the problem of too many cracked smoke goggles exists. The smoke goggle and its protective fabric pouch are normally stowed in a small cubby where it is very well protected. For whatever reason, some smoke goggles have been relocated to a large bin where heavy objects like the aircraft logbook or maintenance books could be dropped on them causing damage. Through company management, I have proposed to alert the pilot population of the situation and to make sure that the goggles are in their appropriate cubby hole. Additionally, I have recommended that flight manual procedures be clarified regarding the smoke goggle preflight action and that any smoke goggle found outside of its appropriate cubby hole be inspected for damage. Thirdly, also through management, I have requested the cooperation of maintenance in keeping the goggles in their proper place.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 WAS DISPATCHED AND OPERATED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE FO'S COCKPIT GOGGLES LENS CRACKED.

Narrative: THIS FLT WAS CONDUCTED WITH FAA AVIATION INSPECTOR XYZ WXXZ IN THE COCKPIT. DURING CRUISE, MR WXXZ MENTIONED (AMONG OTHER THINGS) THAT CRACKED SMOKE GOGGLES HAD BEEN A RECENT TOPIC FOR HIM. DURING THE FLT, THE FO BRIEFLY REMOVED HIS GOGGLE FROM ITS PROTECTIVE POUCH, NOTED WHAT HE DETERMINED TO BE AN INSIGNIFICANT 1/4 - 1/2 INCH HAIR LINE CRACK OUTSIDE THE FIELD OF VISION AND RE-STOWED THE GOGGLE. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FLT, MR WXXZ SAID HE WAS REALLY BOTHERED THAT THE FO DID NOT CALL THE CRACK TO THE ATTN OF THE CAPT. ADDITIONALLY, DURING MY DEBRIEF WITH MR WXXZ, I DISCLOSED THAT THE PREFLT OF THE GOGGLES IS MY (CAPT'S) RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT MY PREFLT CONSISTS OF CHKING FOR THEIR PRESENCE. (COMPANY MAINT IS TASKED WITH PERIODICALLY MAKING A DETAILED INSPECTION OF THE GOGGLES.) MR WXXZ TOLD ME THAT HE MAY PURSUE A VIOLATION/CERTIFICATE ACTION AGAINST MYSELF AND COPLT. I BELIEVE A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THE PROB OF TOO MANY CRACKED SMOKE GOGGLES EXISTS. THE SMOKE GOGGLE AND ITS PROTECTIVE FABRIC POUCH ARE NORMALLY STOWED IN A SMALL CUBBY WHERE IT IS VERY WELL PROTECTED. FOR WHATEVER REASON, SOME SMOKE GOGGLES HAVE BEEN RELOCATED TO A LARGE BIN WHERE HVY OBJECTS LIKE THE ACFT LOGBOOK OR MAINT BOOKS COULD BE DROPPED ON THEM CAUSING DAMAGE. THROUGH COMPANY MGMNT, I HAVE PROPOSED TO ALERT THE PLT POPULATION OF THE SIT AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GOGGLES ARE IN THEIR APPROPRIATE CUBBY HOLE. ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT FLT MANUAL PROCS BE CLARIFIED REGARDING THE SMOKE GOGGLE PREFLT ACTION AND THAT ANY SMOKE GOGGLE FOUND OUTSIDE OF ITS APPROPRIATE CUBBY HOLE BE INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE. THIRDLY, ALSO THROUGH MGMNT, I HAVE REQUESTED THE COOPERATION OF MAINT IN KEEPING THE GOGGLES IN THEIR PROPER PLACE.

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.