Narrative:

We are assigned to repair an aircraft. The field trip charter was on a king air. When we arrived to the aircraft; we noticed that personnel were using this aircraft for cargo. They removed seats to add space for luggage and only left 2 seats available at the forward area. We were assigned to use those seats and the copilot's side. When boarding started; we noticed a baggage load in the aircraft with an improper security cargo net; also we found a few bags not tied and obstructing an emergency exit. So we refused to board the aircraft due to safety reasons and communicated this problem to the maintenance supervisor; who told maintenance control that he was not going to send us under those conditions and we left the area to wait for a decision from the company. After a few mins we were told that our vice president of maintenance was asking why we refused to board that aircraft. Immediately we went to the aircraft and found that the bags that were loose before; were tied but still obstructing the emergency exit and an additional one remain at the entrance without any cargo net. I asked mr X about the procedure used to load the aircraft and how did they make the weight and balance if when they were loading the aircraft we did not see any weight check on bags and bags were loaded randomly. He answered that they have their standard procedures as we do as a company and that 1 person is paid to do that job. After that explanation and the removal of the loose bag at the entrance; we accepted to fly on that aircraft but not completely satisfied with the conditions and procedures used for that charter flight. In our investigation at the FAA.government internet site; we found at far 135.87 that this aircraft is not in compliance with the part (a).(B).(3).(4).(6).(7); for that reason we request an investigation of that matter for a future charter flight. This aircraft does not appear to have any modification on the cabin compartment design that allows to fly cargo and passenger at the same time; also they 'improvised' all the cargo net from other aircraft. We strongly recommend an audit of the procedures used by charter companies to transport employees and cargo and verify the proper use of their aircraft taking in consideration required modifications to ensure the safety of both crew and passenger. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated his carrier doesn't appear to require two pilots when they charter for him or other mechanics to go on field trips. They (two mechanics; one avionics) were concerned about the lack of proper operational procedures for restraining the onboard luggage and cargo load. They feel this charter operator needs a serious audit due to not being in compliance with part far 135.87.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECHANICS FROM ANOTHER CARRIER; BEING FLOWN ON A BEECH/ RAYTHEON KING AIR-100 CHARTER WITH ONLY ONE PILOT; REPORT CARGO NOT PROPERLY SECURED AND BLOCKING EMER EXIT.

Narrative: WE ARE ASSIGNED TO REPAIR AN ACFT. THE FIELD TRIP CHARTER WAS ON A KING AIR. WHEN WE ARRIVED TO THE ACFT; WE NOTICED THAT PERSONNEL WERE USING THIS ACFT FOR CARGO. THEY REMOVED SEATS TO ADD SPACE FOR LUGGAGE AND ONLY LEFT 2 SEATS AVAILABLE AT THE FORWARD AREA. WE WERE ASSIGNED TO USE THOSE SEATS AND THE COPLT'S SIDE. WHEN BOARDING STARTED; WE NOTICED A BAGGAGE LOAD IN THE ACFT WITH AN IMPROPER SECURITY CARGO NET; ALSO WE FOUND A FEW BAGS NOT TIED AND OBSTRUCTING AN EMER EXIT. SO WE REFUSED TO BOARD THE ACFT DUE TO SAFETY REASONS AND COMMUNICATED THIS PROB TO THE MAINT SUPVR; WHO TOLD MAINT CTL THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO SEND US UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS AND WE LEFT THE AREA TO WAIT FOR A DECISION FROM THE COMPANY. AFTER A FEW MINS WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF MAINT WAS ASKING WHY WE REFUSED TO BOARD THAT ACFT. IMMEDIATELY WE WENT TO THE ACFT AND FOUND THAT THE BAGS THAT WERE LOOSE BEFORE; WERE TIED BUT STILL OBSTRUCTING THE EMER EXIT AND AN ADDITIONAL ONE REMAIN AT THE ENTRANCE WITHOUT ANY CARGO NET. I ASKED MR X ABOUT THE PROC USED TO LOAD THE ACFT AND HOW DID THEY MAKE THE WT AND BAL IF WHEN THEY WERE LOADING THE ACFT WE DID NOT SEE ANY WT CHK ON BAGS AND BAGS WERE LOADED RANDOMLY. HE ANSWERED THAT THEY HAVE THEIR STANDARD PROCS AS WE DO AS A COMPANY AND THAT 1 PERSON IS PAID TO DO THAT JOB. AFTER THAT EXPLANATION AND THE REMOVAL OF THE LOOSE BAG AT THE ENTRANCE; WE ACCEPTED TO FLY ON THAT ACFT BUT NOT COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH THE CONDITIONS AND PROCS USED FOR THAT CHARTER FLT. IN OUR INVESTIGATION AT THE FAA.GOV INTERNET SITE; WE FOUND AT FAR 135.87 THAT THIS ACFT IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PART (A).(B).(3).(4).(6).(7); FOR THAT REASON WE REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION OF THAT MATTER FOR A FUTURE CHARTER FLT. THIS ACFT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY MODIFICATION ON THE CABIN COMPARTMENT DESIGN THAT ALLOWS TO FLY CARGO AND PAX AT THE SAME TIME; ALSO THEY 'IMPROVISED' ALL THE CARGO NET FROM OTHER ACFT. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND AN AUDIT OF THE PROCS USED BY CHARTER COMPANIES TO TRANSPORT EMPLOYEES AND CARGO AND VERIFY THE PROPER USE OF THEIR ACFT TAKING IN CONSIDERATION REQUIRED MODIFICATIONS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF BOTH CREW AND PAX. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED HIS CARRIER DOESN'T APPEAR TO REQUIRE TWO PILOTS WHEN THEY CHARTER FOR HIM OR OTHER MECHANICS TO GO ON FIELD TRIPS. THEY (TWO MECHANICS; ONE AVIONICS) WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF PROPER OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR RESTRAINING THE ONBOARD LUGGAGE AND CARGO LOAD. THEY FEEL THIS CHARTER OPERATOR NEEDS A SERIOUS AUDIT DUE TO NOT BEING IN COMPLIANCE WITH PART FAR 135.87.

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.