 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Commuter captain reports on an alleged company policy that does not call for a preflight check of the flight crew's oxygen mask during the initial cockpit check.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 588047 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200307 |
| Day | Fri |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Saab-Scania Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 588047 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
The company policy and preflight approved by the FAA does 'not' follow a safe practice. Opinioned? You betcha, with strong conviction and experience. My carrier has offered and required the use of life support equipment, specifically the use of oxygen mask and smoke goggles, on 2 of those occasions. Because my basic training long back, my instructor had the foresight to demand that I 'always' check this equipment during preflight, not when it is required for use. Thank goodness I heeded his direction and instruction. Too bad those who write and approve this specific issue did not have my instructor. 3 occasions at my carrier support his position which I am passing on to anyone who appreciates constructive criticism. Twice, while preflight, the SF340, actually the same aircraft during 2 separate dates, the captain's mask was without the goggle vent. The jumpseat mask was with the vent. How long had this aircraft had this discrepancy. How many other aircraft have this discrepancy. I expect the policy to be changed and mandatory flight crew oxygen mask donning be made part of the preflight. Because this is life support equipment, this matter should be expedited.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: COMMUTER CAPT RPTS ON AN ALLEGED COMPANY POLICY THAT DOES NOT CALL FOR A PREFLT CHK OF THE FLT CREW'S OXYGEN MASK DURING THE INITIAL COCKPIT CHK.
Narrative: THE COMPANY POLICY AND PREFLT APPROVED BY THE FAA DOES 'NOT' FOLLOW A SAFE PRACTICE. OPINIONED? YOU BETCHA, WITH STRONG CONVICTION AND EXPERIENCE. MY CARRIER HAS OFFERED AND REQUIRED THE USE OF LIFE SUPPORT EQUIP, SPECIFICALLY THE USE OF OXYGEN MASK AND SMOKE GOGGLES, ON 2 OF THOSE OCCASIONS. BECAUSE MY BASIC TRAINING LONG BACK, MY INSTRUCTOR HAD THE FORESIGHT TO DEMAND THAT I 'ALWAYS' CHK THIS EQUIP DURING PREFLT, NOT WHEN IT IS REQUIRED FOR USE. THANK GOODNESS I HEEDED HIS DIRECTION AND INSTRUCTION. TOO BAD THOSE WHO WRITE AND APPROVE THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE DID NOT HAVE MY INSTRUCTOR. 3 OCCASIONS AT MY CARRIER SUPPORT HIS POS WHICH I AM PASSING ON TO ANYONE WHO APPRECIATES CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. TWICE, WHILE PREFLT, THE SF340, ACTUALLY THE SAME ACFT DURING 2 SEPARATE DATES, THE CAPT'S MASK WAS WITHOUT THE GOGGLE VENT. THE JUMPSEAT MASK WAS WITH THE VENT. HOW LONG HAD THIS ACFT HAD THIS DISCREPANCY. HOW MANY OTHER ACFT HAVE THIS DISCREPANCY. I EXPECT THE POLICY TO BE CHANGED AND MANDATORY FLT CREW OXYGEN MASK DONNING BE MADE PART OF THE PREFLT. BECAUSE THIS IS LIFE SUPPORT EQUIP, THIS MATTER SHOULD BE EXPEDITED.
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.