With FAA air carrier inspector on board, air carrier crew departs without proper dispatch release.

Attributes
ACN	483560
Time
Date	200008
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : anc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	483560
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	484057
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : pers 5
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Company Maintenance Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Nearing departure time on a nearly full flight to otz-ome, FAA jump seater set up primary jump seat, only to discover the 5TH (crotch) strap/belt was missing. Consultations with local maintenance and maintenance control resulted in issuing an MEL for the belt, allowing the seat to still be used. All maintenance related paperwork (discrepancy entered in maintenance logbook, aircraft released to fly by maintenance, MEL placarding, etc), done in correct manner. Departed gate xx mins late due to this matter. Taxied and took off normally. When passing 'off' time to company operations, agent read us the revision to our dispatch release, which we should have received before takeoff. I attribute this procedural breakdown to: 1) hurry-up-itis. We were late and getting later on a trip that has 3 stops and short station times, with little chance to get back on schedule. 2) stress of having an FAA inspector giving us a line check. It is perhaps ironic that this inadvertent lapse was due in part to a problem with the very seat the inspector was occupying.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WITH FAA ACR INSPECTOR ON BOARD, ACR CREW DEPARTS WITHOUT PROPER DISPATCH RELEASE.

Narrative: NEARING DEP TIME ON A NEARLY FULL FLT TO OTZ-OME, FAA JUMP SEATER SET UP PRIMARY JUMP SEAT, ONLY TO DISCOVER THE 5TH (CROTCH) STRAP/BELT WAS MISSING. CONSULTATIONS WITH LCL MAINT AND MAINT CTL RESULTED IN ISSUING AN MEL FOR THE BELT, ALLOWING THE SEAT TO STILL BE USED. ALL MAINT RELATED PAPERWORK (DISCREPANCY ENTERED IN MAINT LOGBOOK, ACFT RELEASED TO FLY BY MAINT, MEL PLACARDING, ETC), DONE IN CORRECT MANNER. DEPARTED GATE XX MINS LATE DUE TO THIS MATTER. TAXIED AND TOOK OFF NORMALLY. WHEN PASSING 'OFF' TIME TO COMPANY OPS, AGENT READ US THE REVISION TO OUR DISPATCH RELEASE, WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED BEFORE TKOF. I ATTRIBUTE THIS PROCEDURAL BREAKDOWN TO: 1) HURRY-UP-ITIS. WE WERE LATE AND GETTING LATER ON A TRIP THAT HAS 3 STOPS AND SHORT STATION TIMES, WITH LITTLE CHANCE TO GET BACK ON SCHEDULE. 2) STRESS OF HAVING AN FAA INSPECTOR GIVING US A LINE CHK. IT IS PERHAPS IRONIC THAT THIS INADVERTENT LAPSE WAS DUE IN PART TO A PROB WITH THE VERY SEAT THE INSPECTOR WAS OCCUPYING.

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.