Narrative:

On feb/sun/97 my first officer and I were preparing the cockpit for flight from san to mke. He realized he did not have his headset. He used his speaker for the entire trip. I used my headset. In mke I checked the MEL and realized the headset is required. What did I learn? Always check the MEL no matter how small or insignificant I think an item is. Supplemental information from acn 361936: upon entering cockpit prior to leaving gate, first officer discovered he had inadvertently left his headset on the plane the day before. FAA inspector in jump seat. Not necessary to wear headset, simply supposed to have one in possession.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO'S HEADSET MISSING FROM COCKPIT DURING COCKPIT SETUP. FLT FLOWN WITH FO USING OVERHEAD SPEAKER FOR ENTIRE TRIP. AT DEST ARPT, CAPT FINDS THAT THE MISSING ITEM IS REQUIRED UNDER THE MEL REQUIREMENTS. AN ACI WAS IN THE JUMP SEAT FOR THE FLT.

Narrative: ON FEB/SUN/97 MY FO AND I WERE PREPARING THE COCKPIT FOR FLT FROM SAN TO MKE. HE REALIZED HE DID NOT HAVE HIS HEADSET. HE USED HIS SPEAKER FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP. I USED MY HEADSET. IN MKE I CHKED THE MEL AND REALIZED THE HEADSET IS REQUIRED. WHAT DID I LEARN? ALWAYS CHK THE MEL NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR INSIGNIFICANT I THINK AN ITEM IS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 361936: UPON ENTERING COCKPIT PRIOR TO LEAVING GATE, FO DISCOVERED HE HAD INADVERTENTLY LEFT HIS HEADSET ON THE PLANE THE DAY BEFORE. FAA INSPECTOR IN JUMP SEAT. NOT NECESSARY TO WEAR HEADSET, SIMPLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE ONE IN POSSESSION.

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.