E120 crew found that a hazmat had been shipped on their flight.

Attributes
ACN	437238
Time
Date	199905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vel.airport
State Reference	UT
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	437238
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

After landing, the person unloading the cargo compartment discovered a box with a hazmat label. The classification label idented the contents as biohazard, which is prohibited by our operations specifications to be carried on board our aircraft. The package was carried as air freight and not as checked baggage. Because the label was clearly visible when we arrived at our destination, it is reasonable to expect that the person who accepted the package as freight, and each person who handled it thereafter, could have easily seen the hazmat label. The potential danger was that the material could have harmed the people on board, or even possibly incapacitated the crew. This event was caused by either inattn by the people who accepted and handled the material, or intentional disregard for the company's hazmat procedures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E120 CREW FOUND THAT A HAZMAT HAD BEEN SHIPPED ON THEIR FLT.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG, THE PERSON UNLOADING THE CARGO COMPARTMENT DISCOVERED A BOX WITH A HAZMAT LABEL. THE CLASSIFICATION LABEL IDENTED THE CONTENTS AS BIOHAZARD, WHICH IS PROHIBITED BY OUR OPS SPECS TO BE CARRIED ON BOARD OUR ACFT. THE PACKAGE WAS CARRIED AS AIR FREIGHT AND NOT AS CHKED BAGGAGE. BECAUSE THE LABEL WAS CLRLY VISIBLE WHEN WE ARRIVED AT OUR DEST, IT IS REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT THE PERSON WHO ACCEPTED THE PACKAGE AS FREIGHT, AND EACH PERSON WHO HANDLED IT THEREAFTER, COULD HAVE EASILY SEEN THE HAZMAT LABEL. THE POTENTIAL DANGER WAS THAT THE MATERIAL COULD HAVE HARMED THE PEOPLE ON BOARD, OR EVEN POSSIBLY INCAPACITATED THE CREW. THIS EVENT WAS CAUSED BY EITHER INATTN BY THE PEOPLE WHO ACCEPTED AND HANDLED THE MATERIAL, OR INTENTIONAL DISREGARD FOR THE COMPANY'S HAZMAT PROCS.

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.