Narrative:

Upon arrival at overseas destination, mechanic informed this crew of unrestrained cargo pallet. Crew investigated while cargo supervisor took pictures and mechanic checked for damage. Lower aft area, right aft pallet apparently not locked down, had shifted further aft, turned about 45 degrees and jammed itself, thus preventing further movement. Crew not aware of cargo shift during taxi out, takeoff, initial climb, when captain assumes shift occurred. For most of the flight across the ocean we had smooth conditions, except approaching japan. Crew received warning from japanese controllers of severe turbulence FL260-FL330. We had just climbed to FL350 and received light chop only. Captain assumes cargo did not shift further, crew extremely lucky. If cargo had been heavier, if cargo had further to move before hitting something, if we had not climbed over worst of turbulence, if japanese controllers had not been so diligent with their warning, if cargo had not jammed itself early (?) in-flight, outcome might have been far worse. Initial investigation showed no apparent damage to aircraft. Since flight crew not able to monitor cargo loading/locking, create safety officer position with job description specifying well-trained individual who is physically thin enough to doublechk pallet locks everywhere. Also remind ground crews that they have the responsibility and authority/authorized to ground aircraft until everything is right. On-time departures are not nearly as important as safe operations. Finally, remind flcs to be aware of unusual sounds during initial taxi, and not be afraid to return to blocks for investigation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10 CARGO CAPT WAS NOTIFIED THAT HIS CARGO HAD SHIFTED DURING AN OVERSEAS FLT.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT OVERSEAS DEST, MECH INFORMED THIS CREW OF UNRESTRAINED CARGO PALLET. CREW INVESTIGATED WHILE CARGO SUPVR TOOK PICTURES AND MECH CHKED FOR DAMAGE. LOWER AFT AREA, R AFT PALLET APPARENTLY NOT LOCKED DOWN, HAD SHIFTED FURTHER AFT, TURNED ABOUT 45 DEGS AND JAMMED ITSELF, THUS PREVENTING FURTHER MOVEMENT. CREW NOT AWARE OF CARGO SHIFT DURING TAXI OUT, TKOF, INITIAL CLB, WHEN CAPT ASSUMES SHIFT OCCURRED. FOR MOST OF THE FLT ACROSS THE OCEAN WE HAD SMOOTH CONDITIONS, EXCEPT APCHING JAPAN. CREW RECEIVED WARNING FROM JAPANESE CTLRS OF SEVERE TURB FL260-FL330. WE HAD JUST CLBED TO FL350 AND RECEIVED LIGHT CHOP ONLY. CAPT ASSUMES CARGO DID NOT SHIFT FURTHER, CREW EXTREMELY LUCKY. IF CARGO HAD BEEN HEAVIER, IF CARGO HAD FURTHER TO MOVE BEFORE HITTING SOMETHING, IF WE HAD NOT CLBED OVER WORST OF TURB, IF JAPANESE CTLRS HAD NOT BEEN SO DILIGENT WITH THEIR WARNING, IF CARGO HAD NOT JAMMED ITSELF EARLY (?) INFLT, OUTCOME MIGHT HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE. INITIAL INVESTIGATION SHOWED NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO ACFT. SINCE FLC NOT ABLE TO MONITOR CARGO LOADING/LOCKING, CREATE SAFETY OFFICER POS WITH JOB DESCRIPTION SPECIFYING WELL-TRAINED INDIVIDUAL WHO IS PHYSICALLY THIN ENOUGH TO DOUBLECHK PALLET LOCKS EVERYWHERE. ALSO REMIND GND CREWS THAT THEY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTH TO GND ACFT UNTIL EVERYTHING IS RIGHT. ON-TIME DEPS ARE NOT NEARLY AS IMPORTANT AS SAFE OPS. FINALLY, REMIND FLCS TO BE AWARE OF UNUSUAL SOUNDS DURING INITIAL TAXI, AND NOT BE AFRAID TO RETURN TO BLOCKS FOR INVESTIGATION.

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.