MD80 flight crew returns to station to remove baggage handler from cargo pit.

Attributes
ACN	438260
Time
Date	199905
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 188 flight time total : 22000
ASRS Report	438260
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

At FL200 I was notified by my flight attendant that there was a loud knocking noise from the forward baggage bin. After checking with our departure station, we discovered a baggage handler was missing. We returned to the station to find a scared but otherwise ok baggage handler. Cause: sleeping in the baggage bin before loading. Corrective action: don't do it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLC RETURNS TO STATION TO REMOVE BAGGAGE HANDLER FROM CARGO PIT.

Narrative: AT FL200 I WAS NOTIFIED BY MY FLT ATTENDANT THAT THERE WAS A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE FORWARD BAGGAGE BIN. AFTER CHKING WITH OUR DEP STATION, WE DISCOVERED A BAGGAGE HANDLER WAS MISSING. WE RETURNED TO THE STATION TO FIND A SCARED BUT OTHERWISE OK BAGGAGE HANDLER. CAUSE: SLEEPING IN THE BAGGAGE BIN BEFORE LOADING. CORRECTIVE ACTION: DON'T DO IT.

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.