A DC8 captain notes that missing jumpseat smoke goggles may prevent an aft jumpseat occupant from pe...

Attributes
ACN	687630
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf.airport
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 5400 flight time type : 170
ASRS Report	687630
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was scheduled to have 4 jumpseaters. During preflight of the aft acm oxygen position; I noticed there were no smoke goggles installed. I contacted maintenance and the chief pilot's office for guidance. Maintenance informed me that smoke goggles are not 'required equipment' for the aft jumpseat position. I elected to block out without obtaining additional smoke goggles; putting the aft jumpseater in a possible hazardous situation. During a lower or main cargo compartment smoke or fire; the first step is 'bold face;' oxygen masks and goggles on. The checklist has you close the cockpit door; separating the aft jumpseats from the cockpit. Without smoke goggles; jumpseaters cannot see and provide assistance with duties required to handle emergency activation of the escape slide or other duties required for the situation. I feel it is unsafe to utilize the aft jumpseat without smoke goggles as additional safety equipment. Recent events of smoke in the cockpit require all operators to make changes to this situation immediately. I feel we need to add smoke goggles or block the use of aft jumpseats until a remedy for the situation is determined.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC8 CAPT NOTES THAT MISSING JUMPSEAT SMOKE GOGGLES MAY PREVENT AN AFT JUMPSEAT OCCUPANT FROM PERFORMING ASSIGNED DUTIES.

Narrative: I WAS SCHEDULED TO HAVE 4 JUMPSEATERS. DURING PREFLT OF THE AFT ACM OXYGEN POS; I NOTICED THERE WERE NO SMOKE GOGGLES INSTALLED. I CONTACTED MAINT AND THE CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE FOR GUIDANCE. MAINT INFORMED ME THAT SMOKE GOGGLES ARE NOT 'REQUIRED EQUIP' FOR THE AFT JUMPSEAT POS. I ELECTED TO BLOCK OUT WITHOUT OBTAINING ADDITIONAL SMOKE GOGGLES; PUTTING THE AFT JUMPSEATER IN A POSSIBLE HAZARDOUS SITUATION. DURING A LOWER OR MAIN CARGO COMPARTMENT SMOKE OR FIRE; THE FIRST STEP IS 'BOLD FACE;' OXYGEN MASKS AND GOGGLES ON. THE CHKLIST HAS YOU CLOSE THE COCKPIT DOOR; SEPARATING THE AFT JUMPSEATS FROM THE COCKPIT. WITHOUT SMOKE GOGGLES; JUMPSEATERS CANNOT SEE AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH DUTIES REQUIRED TO HANDLE EMER ACTIVATION OF THE ESCAPE SLIDE OR OTHER DUTIES REQUIRED FOR THE SITUATION. I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO UTILIZE THE AFT JUMPSEAT WITHOUT SMOKE GOGGLES AS ADDITIONAL SAFETY EQUIP. RECENT EVENTS OF SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT REQUIRE ALL OPERATORS TO MAKE CHANGES TO THIS SITUATION IMMEDIATELY. I FEEL WE NEED TO ADD SMOKE GOGGLES OR BLOCK THE USE OF AFT JUMPSEATS UNTIL A REMEDY FOR THE SITUATION IS DETERMINED.

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.

A DC8 captain notes that missing jumpseat smoke goggles may prevent an aft jumpseat occupant from performing assigned duties.