Narrative:

We received a call from the B flight attendant. She informed us that the aft flight attendant jumpseat had broken and was now uninhabitable and unsafe to occupy. Apparently it had come off of a support mechanism and was leaning at a steep angle toward the floor. For this flight we had 137 passenger; 3 flight attendants; and 1 rider on the 4TH flight attendant jumpseat. We queried if the jumpseat would be safe to occupy for landing. They all agreed that it would not be safe. The first officer and I discussed having the B attendant and 4TH rider situation in the cockpit jumpseats for landing. We both felt that this was the safest alternative. Of the 137 passenger; there were none authority/authorized to situation in the cockpit. We decided to have the B attendant and 4TH rider in the cockpit for landing for their safety. I did think of the fact that in the event of evacuate/evacuation; there would be no flight attendant at the rear of the aircraft. However; I felt that I needed to opt for the safety of the attendants during the landing and rollout portion of the flight. I did not want them just holding onto something in the back for the unlikely event of an evacuate/evacuation. We arrived in tus uneventfully and the aft jumpseat was deferred via MEL. Additionally; we informed tus ground operations of our situation. We relayed that they needed to wait on opening the aft service door and to give us ample time to disarm the door.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BROKEN AFT CABIN JUMPSEAT ON A FULL B737-300 REQUIRES THE LNDG TO BE MADE WITH 2 AFT CABIN ATTENDANTS IN COCKPIT OBSERVER SEATS.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE B FLT ATTENDANT. SHE INFORMED US THAT THE AFT FLT ATTENDANT JUMPSEAT HAD BROKEN AND WAS NOW UNINHABITABLE AND UNSAFE TO OCCUPY. APPARENTLY IT HAD COME OFF OF A SUPPORT MECHANISM AND WAS LEANING AT A STEEP ANGLE TOWARD THE FLOOR. FOR THIS FLT WE HAD 137 PAX; 3 FLT ATTENDANTS; AND 1 RIDER ON THE 4TH FLT ATTENDANT JUMPSEAT. WE QUERIED IF THE JUMPSEAT WOULD BE SAFE TO OCCUPY FOR LNDG. THEY ALL AGREED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE SAFE. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED HAVING THE B ATTENDANT AND 4TH RIDER SIT IN THE COCKPIT JUMPSEATS FOR LNDG. WE BOTH FELT THAT THIS WAS THE SAFEST ALTERNATIVE. OF THE 137 PAX; THERE WERE NONE AUTH TO SIT IN THE COCKPIT. WE DECIDED TO HAVE THE B ATTENDANT AND 4TH RIDER IN THE COCKPIT FOR LNDG FOR THEIR SAFETY. I DID THINK OF THE FACT THAT IN THE EVENT OF EVAC; THERE WOULD BE NO FLT ATTENDANT AT THE REAR OF THE ACFT. HOWEVER; I FELT THAT I NEEDED TO OPT FOR THE SAFETY OF THE ATTENDANTS DURING THE LNDG AND ROLLOUT PORTION OF THE FLT. I DID NOT WANT THEM JUST HOLDING ONTO SOMETHING IN THE BACK FOR THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF AN EVAC. WE ARRIVED IN TUS UNEVENTFULLY AND THE AFT JUMPSEAT WAS DEFERRED VIA MEL. ADDITIONALLY; WE INFORMED TUS GND OPS OF OUR SIT. WE RELAYED THAT THEY NEEDED TO WAIT ON OPENING THE AFT SVC DOOR AND TO GIVE US AMPLE TIME TO DISARM THE DOOR.

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.