B737 crew departed without ensuring the aircraft crew portable breathing equipment was aboard.

Attributes
ACN	411110
Time
Date	199808
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq
State Reference	NM
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	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	411110
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other 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	other

Narrative:

On a flight from phx to abq, discovered portable breathing equipment (pbe) missing in cockpit. After landing in abq, company called flight crew and asked if pbe was installed in cockpit. Looking around I discovered that the pbe was in fact missing. I was told the company responsible for doing our c-chk had failed to install one in the cockpit. From what I understand it is possible this aircraft could have flown for several days with a missing pbe. Each flight crew would have had to miss this on the acceptance check. Our company works on a flow system with no checklist to refer to on some of the items. I believe a change would be beneficial.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW DEPARTED WITHOUT ENSURING THE ACFT CREW PORTABLE BREATHING EQUIP WAS ABOARD.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM PHX TO ABQ, DISCOVERED PORTABLE BREATHING EQUIP (PBE) MISSING IN COCKPIT. AFTER LNDG IN ABQ, COMPANY CALLED FLC AND ASKED IF PBE WAS INSTALLED IN COCKPIT. LOOKING AROUND I DISCOVERED THAT THE PBE WAS IN FACT MISSING. I WAS TOLD THE COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING OUR C-CHK HAD FAILED TO INSTALL ONE IN THE COCKPIT. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT IS POSSIBLE THIS ACFT COULD HAVE FLOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS WITH A MISSING PBE. EACH FLC WOULD HAVE HAD TO MISS THIS ON THE ACCEPTANCE CHK. OUR COMPANY WORKS ON A FLOW SYS WITH NO CHKLIST TO REFER TO ON SOME OF THE ITEMS. I BELIEVE A CHANGE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.

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.