Narrative:

I was studying the captain's QRH while en route. When referencing smoke/fire/fumes in the cockpit checklist; I noticed that the notes on the left page did not correlate with the procedures on the right page. After some confusion; I noticed that the page number for the left page was G-1; and the page number for the right page was G-5. The emergency procedure title for the left page was 'smoke/fire/fumes in the cockpit;' while the title for the right page was 'cabin/lavatory fire.' in short; page G-3/G-4 was missing. Because I was expecting to see the bold face for 'smoke/fire/fumes in the cockpit' on the right page; and since the 'cabin/lavatory fire' checklist has the same bold face; it took me 2-3 mins to recognize the problem. The bold face and the first few steps 'led me down the path' until the clean-up items versus the notes did not make any sense. Once I sorted out the problem; I was curious as to how long it would take my first officer (who is a very sharp pilot) to work through the problem. After much consternation; it took him almost 5 mins to discover the problem. If we were referencing the QRH in an actual aircraft fire situation the result could have been catastrophic. The only saving grace in this situation is that the bold face and first few steps in either emergency procedure have you securing first the crew and then direct the crew to 'land at the nearest suitable airport.' I can only imagine how long it would take most crew members to figure out that a page was missing from the QRH while actually handling a fire; flying the aircraft; diverting; communication with ATC and the flight attendants; all while wearing the masks and goggles; in a smoke filled cockpit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B737 DISCOVERS MISSING PAGES IN ONBOARD QRH HANDBOOK.

Narrative: I WAS STUDYING THE CAPT'S QRH WHILE ENRTE. WHEN REFING SMOKE/FIRE/FUMES IN THE COCKPIT CHKLIST; I NOTICED THAT THE NOTES ON THE L PAGE DID NOT CORRELATE WITH THE PROCS ON THE R PAGE. AFTER SOME CONFUSION; I NOTICED THAT THE PAGE NUMBER FOR THE L PAGE WAS G-1; AND THE PAGE NUMBER FOR THE R PAGE WAS G-5. THE EMER PROC TITLE FOR THE L PAGE WAS 'SMOKE/FIRE/FUMES IN THE COCKPIT;' WHILE THE TITLE FOR THE R PAGE WAS 'CABIN/LAVATORY FIRE.' IN SHORT; PAGE G-3/G-4 WAS MISSING. BECAUSE I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE THE BOLD FACE FOR 'SMOKE/FIRE/FUMES IN THE COCKPIT' ON THE R PAGE; AND SINCE THE 'CABIN/LAVATORY FIRE' CHKLIST HAS THE SAME BOLD FACE; IT TOOK ME 2-3 MINS TO RECOGNIZE THE PROB. THE BOLD FACE AND THE FIRST FEW STEPS 'LED ME DOWN THE PATH' UNTIL THE CLEAN-UP ITEMS VERSUS THE NOTES DID NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. ONCE I SORTED OUT THE PROB; I WAS CURIOUS AS TO HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE MY FO (WHO IS A VERY SHARP PLT) TO WORK THROUGH THE PROB. AFTER MUCH CONSTERNATION; IT TOOK HIM ALMOST 5 MINS TO DISCOVER THE PROB. IF WE WERE REFING THE QRH IN AN ACTUAL ACFT FIRE SIT THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. THE ONLY SAVING GRACE IN THIS SIT IS THAT THE BOLD FACE AND FIRST FEW STEPS IN EITHER EMER PROC HAVE YOU SECURING FIRST THE CREW AND THEN DIRECT THE CREW TO 'LAND AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.' I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE MOST CREW MEMBERS TO FIGURE OUT THAT A PAGE WAS MISSING FROM THE QRH WHILE ACTUALLY HANDLING A FIRE; FLYING THE ACFT; DIVERTING; COM WITH ATC AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS; ALL WHILE WEARING THE MASKS AND GOGGLES; IN A SMOKE FILLED COCKPIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.