Narrative:

On jan/xa/00 I was the captain of flight xx, mia-NAS (miami, fl direct nassau, bahamas). Moments before we were to begin our taxi from the gate in mia, I was approached by operations agent. He indicated he was authorizing a non pilot to ride in the cockpit jump seat. He also indicated that the individual he was authorizing was being logged into the computer as required by company policy and that the individual would be listed on the passenger standby list as a jump seat observer. Because operations has instructed me to carry non pilots in the jump seat before (mechanics, dispatchers, aviation interns, etc), I did not suspect this instance was different. When I was presented with the jump seater, the flight was already about 45 mins delayed and rather than delay the flight longer, I relied on my recollection of the rules that govern the acceptance of cockpit jump seat riders as defined in my company's flight manual, part 1. I recalled that operations at a particular station could authority/authorized non pilot jump seat riders and I accepted the jump seat rider into the cockpit believing the individual met the criteria set forth for non pilot cockpit observers. En route to nassau, I referred to my flight manual and discovered my recollection of who has authority/authorized to authority/authorized non pilot jump seat riders may have been incorrect. My company flight manual indicates the director of operations may authority/authorized non pilot observers to ride in the cockpit. I am not sure the local station/hub operations officials have proxy authority/authorized for the director of operations. I may have allowed the boarding of a non authority/authorized individual into the cockpit observer seat. I feel I should have delayed the flight another 10 mins and contacted my company's dispatch control to get clarification of the policy. I feel the local operations agent may have taken advantage of the fact I am a new and inexperienced captain.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATR72 PIC ALLOWS AN OPS AGENT TO BOARD AN UNAUTH JUMP SEAT RIDER DURING A DELAYED DEP FROM MIA, FL.

Narrative: ON JAN/XA/00 I WAS THE CAPT OF FLT XX, MIA-NAS (MIAMI, FL DIRECT NASSAU, BAHAMAS). MOMENTS BEFORE WE WERE TO BEGIN OUR TAXI FROM THE GATE IN MIA, I WAS APCHED BY OPS AGENT. HE INDICATED HE WAS AUTHORIZING A NON PLT TO RIDE IN THE COCKPIT JUMP SEAT. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HE WAS AUTHORIZING WAS BEING LOGGED INTO THE COMPUTER AS REQUIRED BY COMPANY POLICY AND THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WOULD BE LISTED ON THE PAX STANDBY LIST AS A JUMP SEAT OBSERVER. BECAUSE OPS HAS INSTRUCTED ME TO CARRY NON PLTS IN THE JUMP SEAT BEFORE (MECHS, DISPATCHERS, AVIATION INTERNS, ETC), I DID NOT SUSPECT THIS INSTANCE WAS DIFFERENT. WHEN I WAS PRESENTED WITH THE JUMP SEATER, THE FLT WAS ALREADY ABOUT 45 MINS DELAYED AND RATHER THAN DELAY THE FLT LONGER, I RELIED ON MY RECOLLECTION OF THE RULES THAT GOVERN THE ACCEPTANCE OF COCKPIT JUMP SEAT RIDERS AS DEFINED IN MY COMPANY'S FLT MANUAL, PART 1. I RECALLED THAT OPS AT A PARTICULAR STATION COULD AUTH NON PLT JUMP SEAT RIDERS AND I ACCEPTED THE JUMP SEAT RIDER INTO THE COCKPIT BELIEVING THE INDIVIDUAL MET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH FOR NON PLT COCKPIT OBSERVERS. ENRTE TO NASSAU, I REFERRED TO MY FLT MANUAL AND DISCOVERED MY RECOLLECTION OF WHO HAS AUTH TO AUTH NON PLT JUMP SEAT RIDERS MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECT. MY COMPANY FLT MANUAL INDICATES THE DIRECTOR OF OPS MAY AUTH NON PLT OBSERVERS TO RIDE IN THE COCKPIT. I AM NOT SURE THE LCL STATION/HUB OPS OFFICIALS HAVE PROXY AUTH FOR THE DIRECTOR OF OPS. I MAY HAVE ALLOWED THE BOARDING OF A NON AUTH INDIVIDUAL INTO THE COCKPIT OBSERVER SEAT. I FEEL I SHOULD HAVE DELAYED THE FLT ANOTHER 10 MINS AND CONTACTED MY COMPANY'S DISPATCH CTL TO GET CLARIFICATION OF THE POLICY. I FEEL THE LCL OPS AGENT MAY HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT I AM A NEW AND INEXPERIENCED CAPT.

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.