Narrative:

Prior to departure from sea for anc, standard company form for dangerous goods was brought to aircraft by ramp personnel for captain's signature for transport. Captain (me) signed form and cargo was shipped to anc. Ramp personnel in anc noticed upon arrival in anc that box and shipping form stated that item was intended for shipment on cargo aircraft only (a 'yes' was printed in the box marked 'cargo aircraft only?'). Obviously, this was not intended to be transported on a passenger flight, but I didn't see the 'yes' in the 'cargo aircraft only?' box. In trying to analyze why I didn't notice this, I can only say that I believe that this box is very often left blank and I'm not used to checking it. We're also taught in ground school that we basically have to trust the ground and shipping personnel that the shipment is authority/authorized. This implies that since we are not involved in any phase of dangerous goods transport (ie, checking, inspection, loading/unloading) then we are trained to trust the whole process has been done properly when the shipping form is presented to me (the captain) for my signature. As for suggestions, the process of selection for this type of shipment on cargo only flts needs to be emphasized to everybody involved in the process of dangerous goods shipment. Pilots should be reminded to check this box on form. Supplemental information from acn 443211: our flight was from sea-anc. We were in the boarding process, when a ramp agent came into the flight deck. He had forms for hazmat and dangerous goods being loaded on the aircraft. The captain signed them and gave a copy to the ramp agent and the rest of the copies to me. I then placed them with the rest of the flight paperwork. When we had completed the flight and had deplaned, an agent in anc operations approached me and asked for the forms for the dangerous goods. I gave them to him. He then told us (the captain and myself) that dangerous goods had been loaded on the plane. On the package it clearly stated 'not to be carried on passenger carrying aircraft.' the form also stated that the material was for a cargo only aircraft. The ramp agents in sea are mostly new employees hired for the summer and failed to see the placard. The forms listed our flight number, but had a small box checked for a cargo only limitations. The captain and myself failed to notice that. The dangerous goods passed through several channels and hands before they were placed on a passenger flight, yet no one recognized the danger. It scares me that this happened and I'm determined to carefully check the forms the next time.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD IMPROPER HAZMAT LOADED ON THEIR ACFT.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP FROM SEA FOR ANC, STANDARD COMPANY FORM FOR DANGEROUS GOODS WAS BROUGHT TO ACFT BY RAMP PERSONNEL FOR CAPT'S SIGNATURE FOR TRANSPORT. CAPT (ME) SIGNED FORM AND CARGO WAS SHIPPED TO ANC. RAMP PERSONNEL IN ANC NOTICED UPON ARR IN ANC THAT BOX AND SHIPPING FORM STATED THAT ITEM WAS INTENDED FOR SHIPMENT ON CARGO ACFT ONLY (A 'YES' WAS PRINTED IN THE BOX MARKED 'CARGO ACFT ONLY?'). OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE TRANSPORTED ON A PAX FLT, BUT I DIDN'T SEE THE 'YES' IN THE 'CARGO ACFT ONLY?' BOX. IN TRYING TO ANALYZE WHY I DIDN'T NOTICE THIS, I CAN ONLY SAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT THIS BOX IS VERY OFTEN LEFT BLANK AND I'M NOT USED TO CHKING IT. WE'RE ALSO TAUGHT IN GND SCHOOL THAT WE BASICALLY HAVE TO TRUST THE GND AND SHIPPING PERSONNEL THAT THE SHIPMENT IS AUTH. THIS IMPLIES THAT SINCE WE ARE NOT INVOLVED IN ANY PHASE OF DANGEROUS GOODS TRANSPORT (IE, CHKING, INSPECTION, LOADING/UNLOADING) THEN WE ARE TRAINED TO TRUST THE WHOLE PROCESS HAS BEEN DONE PROPERLY WHEN THE SHIPPING FORM IS PRESENTED TO ME (THE CAPT) FOR MY SIGNATURE. AS FOR SUGGESTIONS, THE PROCESS OF SELECTION FOR THIS TYPE OF SHIPMENT ON CARGO ONLY FLTS NEEDS TO BE EMPHASIZED TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF DANGEROUS GOODS SHIPMENT. PLTS SHOULD BE REMINDED TO CHK THIS BOX ON FORM. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 443211: OUR FLT WAS FROM SEA-ANC. WE WERE IN THE BOARDING PROCESS, WHEN A RAMP AGENT CAME INTO THE FLT DECK. HE HAD FORMS FOR HAZMAT AND DANGEROUS GOODS BEING LOADED ON THE ACFT. THE CAPT SIGNED THEM AND GAVE A COPY TO THE RAMP AGENT AND THE REST OF THE COPIES TO ME. I THEN PLACED THEM WITH THE REST OF THE FLT PAPERWORK. WHEN WE HAD COMPLETED THE FLT AND HAD DEPLANED, AN AGENT IN ANC OPS APCHED ME AND ASKED FOR THE FORMS FOR THE DANGEROUS GOODS. I GAVE THEM TO HIM. HE THEN TOLD US (THE CAPT AND MYSELF) THAT DANGEROUS GOODS HAD BEEN LOADED ON THE PLANE. ON THE PACKAGE IT CLRLY STATED 'NOT TO BE CARRIED ON PAX CARRYING ACFT.' THE FORM ALSO STATED THAT THE MATERIAL WAS FOR A CARGO ONLY ACFT. THE RAMP AGENTS IN SEA ARE MOSTLY NEW EMPLOYEES HIRED FOR THE SUMMER AND FAILED TO SEE THE PLACARD. THE FORMS LISTED OUR FLT NUMBER, BUT HAD A SMALL BOX CHKED FOR A CARGO ONLY LIMITATIONS. THE CAPT AND MYSELF FAILED TO NOTICE THAT. THE DANGEROUS GOODS PASSED THROUGH SEVERAL CHANNELS AND HANDS BEFORE THEY WERE PLACED ON A PAX FLT, YET NO ONE RECOGNIZED THE DANGER. IT SCARES ME THAT THIS HAPPENED AND I'M DETERMINED TO CAREFULLY CHK THE FORMS THE NEXT TIME.

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.