SAAB 340B FLC CHARGED WITH USING WRONG CALL SIGN OF LIFEGUARD WHEN CARRYING HUMAN BODY PARTS.

Narrative

WE WERE CARRYING A PACKAGE THAT CONTAINED HUMAN BODY PARTS FOR RUSH DELIVERY TO DFW. ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY FLT MANUAL IN THIS SIT WE 'SHALL' USE THE CALL SIGN LIFEGUARD AND ADVISE ATC. HAVING DONE THIS; THE SJT TWR SAID THE CALL SIGN COMPANY FLT LIFEGUARD XXX WAS TOO LONG SO HE WOULD PUT IT INTO REMARKS ON THE COMPUTER. THE FLT NUMBER REMAINED XXX AND WE HAD A NORMAL FLT. THE COMPANY NOW AND THE FAA SAY WE ABUSED THE USE OF THE CALL SIGN AND MAY HAVE VIOLATED THE FAR AND COMPANY POLICY. I FEEL WE DID NOT. IT IS STATED IN OUR FAA APPROVED MANUAL 'COMPANY FLTS RESPONDING TO MEDICAL EMERS (FIRST CALL TO AN ACCIDENT SCENE; CARRYING PATIENTS; ORGAN DONORS; ORGANS; OR OTHER URGENTLY NEEDED LIFESAVING MEDICAL MATERIALS) SHALL USE IN ALL RADIO COMS; THE CALL SIGN LIFEGUARD FOLLOWED BY THE FLT NUMBER. THIS DESIGNATION WILL PROVIDE FOR EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING BY ATC.' IT IS THE PLT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INSURE THIS INFO IS PROVIDED TO ATC. WE WERE CARRYING HUMAN TISSUE FOR RUSH DELIVERY. AS FAR AS WE KNOW IT WAS AN EMER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE IS GRIEVING THIS INCIDENT THROUGH THE UNION. THE COMPANY HAS SENT A LETTER OF REPRIMAND TO FLC. RPTR FEELS THIS IS TO SATISFY THE FAA IN HOPE THEY WILL DROP THE MATTER. FLC WAS BEGINNING THE LAST LEG OF A 4-DAY TRIP WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THEY WERE CLRED DIRECT. THE CTLR HAD BEEN VERY CHATTY WHEN ACFT WAS PARKED AND FLC INDICATED THIS WAS THEIR LAST LEG. AFTER THE EVENT; THE CTLR WROTE A 3 PAGE LETTER TO THE COMPANY INDICATING HE THOUGHT THE CREW WAS JUST TRYING TO GET HOME FASTER BY USING THE LIFEGUARD CALL SIGN. RPTR WONDERS HOW THE FAA CAN FAULT THE CREW FOR USING A PROC WHICH THEY HAVE APPROVED IN THE COMPANY MANUAL. RPTR WILL FAX A COPY OF THE SPECIFIC PAGE IN THE MANUAL WHICH ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. THE ACFT IS A SAAB 340B.