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Hazmat in the form of a non disconnected battery in a wheelchair is loaded improperly at foreign departure airport and not discovered until in-flight and landing at mia, fl.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 588602 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200307 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mia.airport |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 588602 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 588603 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Unknown to us the agent loaded a last min handicapped passenger and put his electric wheelchair in forward cargo. We received a verbal closeout in ZZZ and agent said there was a battery in forward cargo. Once airborne and in ACARS coverage we received a printed closeout and it indicated 'RA' in forward cargo. It was at this time that we realized we did not have a hazmat permit concerning this 'RA.' on arrival in mia I went down and inspected the wheelchair after it was unloaded from aircraft. I found that there was a plastic shroud covering the motor and battery. Obviously ZZZ cargo agent had not prepared the wheelchair for shipment and probably did not even prepare a hazmat permit. I was unable to determine if it was a wet or dry battery, but obviously it had not been disconnected.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: HAZMAT IN THE FORM OF A NON DISCONNECTED BATTERY IN A WHEELCHAIR IS LOADED IMPROPERLY AT FOREIGN DEP ARPT AND NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL INFLT AND LNDG AT MIA, FL.
Narrative: UNKNOWN TO US THE AGENT LOADED A LAST MIN HANDICAPPED PAX AND PUT HIS ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR IN FORWARD CARGO. WE RECEIVED A VERBAL CLOSEOUT IN ZZZ AND AGENT SAID THERE WAS A BATTERY IN FORWARD CARGO. ONCE AIRBORNE AND IN ACARS COVERAGE WE RECEIVED A PRINTED CLOSEOUT AND IT INDICATED 'RA' IN FORWARD CARGO. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT WE REALIZED WE DID NOT HAVE A HAZMAT PERMIT CONCERNING THIS 'RA.' ON ARR IN MIA I WENT DOWN AND INSPECTED THE WHEELCHAIR AFTER IT WAS UNLOADED FROM ACFT. I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A PLASTIC SHROUD COVERING THE MOTOR AND BATTERY. OBVIOUSLY ZZZ CARGO AGENT HAD NOT PREPARED THE WHEELCHAIR FOR SHIPMENT AND PROBABLY DID NOT EVEN PREPARE A HAZMAT PERMIT. I WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS A WET OR DRY BATTERY, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT HAD NOT BEEN DISCONNECTED.
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.