PIC of a B767 in cruise is advised by the flight attendant that the passenger seated in 2 emergency ...

Attributes
ACN	578630
Time
Date	200304
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa.artcc
State Reference	CA
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	578630
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : cab 4
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Well into the flight, I learned of an 'overweight' passenger having been assigned an emergency exit row. My purser showed me text from the manual that was, after a quick read, ambiguous and conflicting. While I could have insisted that the man be moved, I decided to do nothing, the less confrontational route. The man was easily 3 times my size and I weigh 225 pounds. To believe that he could comply with the requirements of being seated in an emergency exit row, would be to believe that he (or I) could run a marathon. In hindsight, and by not correcting the situation, I put my crew and passenger at risk. Any need for evacuate/evacuation at this man's exit would have been, in my opinion, compromised by his size and likely ability. I can only guess he was assigned these seats (yes, 2), because of his size, without regard to the emergency exit row requirements. In as much as I am no longer trusted to carry a penknife in my pocket, or a screw driver in my flight bag, how can my judgement be trusted in other such weighty matters? I can only try to do better in the future, trusted or not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC OF A B767 IN CRUISE IS ADVISED BY THE FLT ATTENDANT THAT THE PAX SEATED IN 2 EMER EXIT SEATS IS SO OVERWT THAT HE FALLS OUT OF THE REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS FOR OPERATING THE EXIT. DISCOVERED AFTER DEP HNL, HI.

Narrative: WELL INTO THE FLT, I LEARNED OF AN 'OVERWT' PAX HAVING BEEN ASSIGNED AN EMER EXIT ROW. MY PURSER SHOWED ME TEXT FROM THE MANUAL THAT WAS, AFTER A QUICK READ, AMBIGUOUS AND CONFLICTING. WHILE I COULD HAVE INSISTED THAT THE MAN BE MOVED, I DECIDED TO DO NOTHING, THE LESS CONFRONTATIONAL RTE. THE MAN WAS EASILY 3 TIMES MY SIZE AND I WEIGH 225 LBS. TO BELIEVE THAT HE COULD COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF BEING SEATED IN AN EMER EXIT ROW, WOULD BE TO BELIEVE THAT HE (OR I) COULD RUN A MARATHON. IN HINDSIGHT, AND BY NOT CORRECTING THE SIT, I PUT MY CREW AND PAX AT RISK. ANY NEED FOR EVAC AT THIS MAN'S EXIT WOULD HAVE BEEN, IN MY OPINION, COMPROMISED BY HIS SIZE AND LIKELY ABILITY. I CAN ONLY GUESS HE WAS ASSIGNED THESE SEATS (YES, 2), BECAUSE OF HIS SIZE, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE EMER EXIT ROW REQUIREMENTS. IN AS MUCH AS I AM NO LONGER TRUSTED TO CARRY A PENKNIFE IN MY POCKET, OR A SCREW DRIVER IN MY FLT BAG, HOW CAN MY JUDGEMENT BE TRUSTED IN OTHER SUCH WEIGHTY MATTERS? I CAN ONLY TRY TO DO BETTER IN THE FUTURE, TRUSTED OR NOT.

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.

PIC of a B767 in cruise is advised by the flight attendant that the passenger seated in 2 emergency exit seats is so overweight that he falls out of the required qualifications for operating the exit. Discovered after departure hnl, hi.