Air carrier prepares for takeoff minus 1 flight attendant.

Attributes
ACN	186907
Time
Date	199108
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 8170 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	186907
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While awaiting takeoff clearance the #1 flight attendant informed me that only 2 flight attendants were on board. Our aircraft required 3, so I taxied back to the gate and awaited the arrival of a third flight attendant. We departed approximately 30 min later without incident (total passenger 9). Since we worked the last 2 legs on an aircraft requiring only 2 flight attendants, no one thought much about not getting an extra flight attendant. Our airline has no procedures (that I know of) requiring the captain to ensure all required crew are in fact on board. Load closeout procedures don't address this either. I will probably work this check into my own procedures once the door is shut. The company should require the #1 to check this as soon as the door is shut.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PREPARES FOR TKOF MINUS 1 FLT ATTENDANT.

Narrative: WHILE AWAITING TKOF CLRNC THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED ME THAT ONLY 2 FLT ATTENDANTS WERE ON BOARD. OUR ACFT REQUIRED 3, SO I TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE AND AWAITED THE ARR OF A THIRD FLT ATTENDANT. WE DEPARTED APPROX 30 MIN LATER WITHOUT INCIDENT (TOTAL PAX 9). SINCE WE WORKED THE LAST 2 LEGS ON AN ACFT REQUIRING ONLY 2 FLT ATTENDANTS, NO ONE THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT NOT GETTING AN EXTRA FLT ATTENDANT. OUR AIRLINE HAS NO PROCS (THAT I KNOW OF) REQUIRING THE CAPT TO ENSURE ALL REQUIRED CREW ARE IN FACT ON BOARD. LOAD CLOSEOUT PROCS DON'T ADDRESS THIS EITHER. I WILL PROBABLY WORK THIS CHK INTO MY OWN PROCS ONCE THE DOOR IS SHUT. THE COMPANY SHOULD REQUIRE THE #1 TO CHK THIS AS SOON AS THE DOOR IS SHUT.

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.