Air carrier flight returns to gate after push back to board a missing third flight cabin attendant.

Attributes
ACN	316204
Time
Date	199509
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9300 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	316204
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The captain had received the weight and balance paperwork from the loadmaster and loadmaster and captain agreed to close aircraft door and push back. After pushing back about 100 ft we were starting the #2 engine when the first flight attendant came to the cockpit and advised the third flight attendant was not on board. The ground crew had already disconnected so we then taxied back to the gate and boarded the third flight attendant along with 2 more passenger. We then reverified our weight and balance and pushed back and took off. I believe there was some miscoms between our flight attendants and also between the loadmaster and the gate agent. The third flight attendant, in my opinion, should not have left the aircraft. It was an originating flight and they all 3 must be on board at all times, per the regulations. We as flight deck crew unfortunately haven't got much control of what transpires behind the cockpit door sometimes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT RETURNS TO GATE AFTER PUSH BACK TO BOARD A MISSING THIRD FLT CABIN ATTENDANT.

Narrative: THE CAPT HAD RECEIVED THE WT AND BAL PAPERWORK FROM THE LOADMASTER AND LOADMASTER AND CAPT AGREED TO CLOSE ACFT DOOR AND PUSH BACK. AFTER PUSHING BACK ABOUT 100 FT WE WERE STARTING THE #2 ENG WHEN THE FIRST FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO THE COCKPIT AND ADVISED THE THIRD FLT ATTENDANT WAS NOT ON BOARD. THE GND CREW HAD ALREADY DISCONNECTED SO WE THEN TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE AND BOARDED THE THIRD FLT ATTENDANT ALONG WITH 2 MORE PAX. WE THEN REVERIFIED OUR WT AND BAL AND PUSHED BACK AND TOOK OFF. I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOME MISCOMS BTWN OUR FLT ATTENDANTS AND ALSO BTWN THE LOADMASTER AND THE GATE AGENT. THE THIRD FLT ATTENDANT, IN MY OPINION, SHOULD NOT HAVE LEFT THE ACFT. IT WAS AN ORIGINATING FLT AND THEY ALL 3 MUST BE ON BOARD AT ALL TIMES, PER THE REGS. WE AS FLT DECK CREW UNFORTUNATELY HAVEN'T GOT MUCH CTL OF WHAT TRANSPIRES BEHIND THE COCKPIT DOOR SOMETIMES.

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.