<< >> NASA ASRS Report 676529, October 2005

B737-700 flight crew reports baggage handlers opened forward baggage door to add last min bags after engine start.

Attributes
ACN	676529
Time
Date	200510
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : isp.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	676529
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	676287
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : door warning lights other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

On pushback in tpa; everything was normal including the start sequence; as we had already started #2 engine and were in the middle of starting #1 engine. The first officer mentioned about a ramper pulling close to the aircraft with a bag on the cart. Within seconds; with no communication from the pushback crew; the cargo door light came on for 5 seconds as the ramper threw the bag in there. I completed the start sequence for #1 engine; set the brakes as per the tug driver's command; and queried the driver on the ramp's actions; and emphasized the safety problem of opening cargo doors with the #2 engine running. The response I got from the driver did not convince me that he was fully aware of the danger of this scenario. I think that this point needs to be emphasized to the ramp agents. They need to communicate with us and have us shut down the engine properly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FLT CREW RPTS BAGGAGE HANDLERS OPENED FORWARD BAGGAGE DOOR TO ADD LAST MIN BAGS AFTER ENG START.

Narrative: ON PUSHBACK IN TPA; EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL INCLUDING THE START SEQUENCE; AS WE HAD ALREADY STARTED #2 ENG AND WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF STARTING #1 ENG. THE FO MENTIONED ABOUT A RAMPER PULLING CLOSE TO THE ACFT WITH A BAG ON THE CART. WITHIN SECONDS; WITH NO COM FROM THE PUSHBACK CREW; THE CARGO DOOR LIGHT CAME ON FOR 5 SECONDS AS THE RAMPER THREW THE BAG IN THERE. I COMPLETED THE START SEQUENCE FOR #1 ENG; SET THE BRAKES AS PER THE TUG DRIVER'S COMMAND; AND QUERIED THE DRIVER ON THE RAMP'S ACTIONS; AND EMPHASIZED THE SAFETY PROB OF OPENING CARGO DOORS WITH THE #2 ENG RUNNING. THE RESPONSE I GOT FROM THE DRIVER DID NOT CONVINCE ME THAT HE WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE DANGER OF THIS SCENARIO. I THINK THAT THIS POINT NEEDS TO BE EMPHASIZED TO THE RAMP AGENTS. THEY NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH US AND HAVE US SHUT DOWN THE ENG PROPERLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.