B737 departs gate and is advised there is undocumented hazmat aboard. Return for paperwork.

Attributes
ACN	692617
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sch.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	692617
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

When the ACARS numbers went sent to us; the first officer noticed a hazmat notification. We had not received any paperwork from the ramp and were unaware of any hazmat onboard the aircraft. We queried operations and they advised that we did indeed have hazmat onboard. We returned to the gate to either have the hazmat removed or be given the paperwork. The ramp found the paperwork and we again departed for oak. My concern is during the 8 min window from pushback to finding out about the hazmat; if there had been an emergency such as a cargo fire; I would have given incorrect information to fire department and this could have made a bad situation much worse. The simple act of not giving us the required paperwork could have resulted in serious injury or loss of life. I know this might seem minor to our rampers but our passenger and crew deserve better.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 DEPARTS GATE AND IS ADVISED THERE IS UNDOCUMENTED HAZMAT ABOARD. RETURN FOR PAPERWORK.

Narrative: WHEN THE ACARS NUMBERS WENT SENT TO US; THE FO NOTICED A HAZMAT NOTIFICATION. WE HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY PAPERWORK FROM THE RAMP AND WERE UNAWARE OF ANY HAZMAT ONBOARD THE ACFT. WE QUERIED OPS AND THEY ADVISED THAT WE DID INDEED HAVE HAZMAT ONBOARD. WE RETURNED TO THE GATE TO EITHER HAVE THE HAZMAT REMOVED OR BE GIVEN THE PAPERWORK. THE RAMP FOUND THE PAPERWORK AND WE AGAIN DEPARTED FOR OAK. MY CONCERN IS DURING THE 8 MIN WINDOW FROM PUSHBACK TO FINDING OUT ABOUT THE HAZMAT; IF THERE HAD BEEN AN EMER SUCH AS A CARGO FIRE; I WOULD HAVE GIVEN INCORRECT INFO TO FIRE DEPT AND THIS COULD HAVE MADE A BAD SITUATION MUCH WORSE. THE SIMPLE ACT OF NOT GIVING US THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. I KNOW THIS MIGHT SEEM MINOR TO OUR RAMPERS BUT OUR PAX AND CREW DESERVE BETTER.

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.