An S80 PIC report on an improperly secured battery pwred wheelchair that was stowed and secured with...

Attributes
ACN	471900
Time
Date	200005
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : abq.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight ground : takeoff roll ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	471900
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

I had a form for an electric wheelchair with nonspillable gel battery. Ground crew advised it was loaded, but it was not properly secured yet. He stated according to the training video, it had to be tied down, and the electrical connections taped to insulate them. After considerable delay, the operations manager advised us over the radio that it could be secured by packing some baggage around it. He stated 'we ship a dozen of them everyday and that everyday that's how we secure them.' he also stated that the quick disconnect batteries now do not need insulating. I accepted the wheelchair secured with packed baggage. When I arrived in tpa, I inquired from the ground crew how they are to secure wheelchairs and their response was that they are to be tied down, but they usually just pack baggage around them. I don't think this is a legal or acceptable way of securing battery wheelchairs. Also, I inspected it at tpa, and discovered that although the cables were adequately insulated, the battery terminals that the cables came off of were completely exposed. Also not a safe or legal condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN S80 PIC RPT ON AN IMPROPERLY SECURED BATTERY PWRED WHEELCHAIR THAT WAS STOWED AND SECURED WITH BAGGAGE, NO RESTRAINING TIEDOWNS AS RECOMMENDED AT ORD, IL.

Narrative: I HAD A FORM FOR AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR WITH NONSPILLABLE GEL BATTERY. GND CREW ADVISED IT WAS LOADED, BUT IT WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED YET. HE STATED ACCORDING TO THE TRAINING VIDEO, IT HAD TO BE TIED DOWN, AND THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS TAPED TO INSULATE THEM. AFTER CONSIDERABLE DELAY, THE OPS MGR ADVISED US OVER THE RADIO THAT IT COULD BE SECURED BY PACKING SOME BAGGAGE AROUND IT. HE STATED 'WE SHIP A DOZEN OF THEM EVERYDAY AND THAT EVERYDAY THAT'S HOW WE SECURE THEM.' HE ALSO STATED THAT THE QUICK DISCONNECT BATTERIES NOW DO NOT NEED INSULATING. I ACCEPTED THE WHEELCHAIR SECURED WITH PACKED BAGGAGE. WHEN I ARRIVED IN TPA, I INQUIRED FROM THE GND CREW HOW THEY ARE TO SECURE WHEELCHAIRS AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY ARE TO BE TIED DOWN, BUT THEY USUALLY JUST PACK BAGGAGE AROUND THEM. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A LEGAL OR ACCEPTABLE WAY OF SECURING BATTERY WHEELCHAIRS. ALSO, I INSPECTED IT AT TPA, AND DISCOVERED THAT ALTHOUGH THE CABLES WERE ADEQUATELY INSULATED, THE BATTERY TERMINALS THAT THE CABLES CAME OFF OF WERE COMPLETELY EXPOSED. ALSO NOT A SAFE OR LEGAL CONDITION.

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.

An S80 PIC report on an improperly secured battery pwred wheelchair that was stowed and secured with baggage, no restraining tiedowns as recommended at ord, il.