Aviation safety improvement suggestion related to security preflight inspections of aircraft prior t...

Attributes
ACN	550704
Time
Date	200206
Day	Sat
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
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
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 : atp
ASRS Report	550704
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : cab 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Cabin Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Arrived early at aircraft. When flight attendants requested to come to first class for a briefing, one of the flight attendants had found a package in one of the overhead bins. I notified the customs service and had the aircraft searched again. A couple of things were noticed with this research of the aircraft. The crew chief who signed the security slip is only in charge of the first and business class crews. The coach crew comes under another supervisor and he tells the front supervisor that the back is done. Then the front supervisor signs the security sheet. It seems that the individual who signs the security sheet should be in charge of the whole aircraft's inspection and crew. Second thing noticed: that a lot of the people just put their hands in the upper bins, which are very high on the 777. It seems that only the taller inspectors can see in the bins. I think a better and more effective way of doing this check would be to have a mirror like they use to look under a car. Then the whole bin can be seen by whatever size person is doing the inspection. Also this may reduce the time it takes to do the inspection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AVIATION SAFETY IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTION RELATED TO SECURITY PREFLT INSPECTIONS OF ACFT PRIOR TO PAX BOARDING AT ALL STATIONS INCLUDING ORD, IL.

Narrative: ARRIVED EARLY AT ACFT. WHEN FLT ATTENDANTS REQUESTED TO COME TO FIRST CLASS FOR A BRIEFING, ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS HAD FOUND A PACKAGE IN ONE OF THE OVERHEAD BINS. I NOTIFIED THE CUSTOMS SERVICE AND HAD THE ACFT SEARCHED AGAIN. A COUPLE OF THINGS WERE NOTICED WITH THIS RESEARCH OF THE ACFT. THE CREW CHIEF WHO SIGNED THE SECURITY SLIP IS ONLY IN CHARGE OF THE FIRST AND BUSINESS CLASS CREWS. THE COACH CREW COMES UNDER ANOTHER SUPVR AND HE TELLS THE FRONT SUPVR THAT THE BACK IS DONE. THEN THE FRONT SUPVR SIGNS THE SECURITY SHEET. IT SEEMS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO SIGNS THE SECURITY SHEET SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THE WHOLE ACFT'S INSPECTION AND CREW. SECOND THING NOTICED: THAT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE JUST PUT THEIR HANDS IN THE UPPER BINS, WHICH ARE VERY HIGH ON THE 777. IT SEEMS THAT ONLY THE TALLER INSPECTORS CAN SEE IN THE BINS. I THINK A BETTER AND MORE EFFECTIVE WAY OF DOING THIS CHK WOULD BE TO HAVE A MIRROR LIKE THEY USE TO LOOK UNDER A CAR. THEN THE WHOLE BIN CAN BE SEEN BY WHATEVER SIZE PERSON IS DOING THE INSPECTION. ALSO THIS MAY REDUCE THE TIME IT TAKES TO DO THE INSPECTION.

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.

Aviation safety improvement suggestion related to security preflight inspections of aircraft prior to passenger boarding at all stations including ord, il.