AN ATR72 PIC ALLOWS AN OPS AGENT TO BOARD AN UNAUTH JUMP SEAT RIDER DURING A DELAYED DEP FROM MIA; FL.

Narrative

ON JAN/XA/00 I WAS THE CAPT OF FLT XX; MIA-NAS (MIAMI; FL DIRECT NASSAU; BAHAMAS). MOMENTS BEFORE WE WERE TO BEGIN OUR TAXI FROM THE GATE IN MIA; I WAS APCHED BY OPS AGENT. HE INDICATED HE WAS AUTHORIZING A NON PLT TO RIDE IN THE COCKPIT JUMP SEAT. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HE WAS AUTHORIZING WAS BEING LOGGED INTO THE COMPUTER AS REQUIRED BY COMPANY POLICY AND THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WOULD BE LISTED ON THE PAX STANDBY LIST AS A JUMP SEAT OBSERVER. BECAUSE OPS HAS INSTRUCTED ME TO CARRY NON PLTS IN THE JUMP SEAT BEFORE (MECHS; DISPATCHERS; AVIATION INTERNS; ETC); I DID NOT SUSPECT THIS INSTANCE WAS DIFFERENT. WHEN I WAS PRESENTED WITH THE JUMP SEATER; THE FLT WAS ALREADY ABOUT 45 MINS DELAYED AND RATHER THAN DELAY THE FLT LONGER; I RELIED ON MY RECOLLECTION OF THE RULES THAT GOVERN THE ACCEPTANCE OF COCKPIT JUMP SEAT RIDERS AS DEFINED IN MY COMPANY'S FLT MANUAL; PART 1. I RECALLED THAT OPS AT A PARTICULAR STATION COULD AUTH NON PLT JUMP SEAT RIDERS AND I ACCEPTED THE JUMP SEAT RIDER INTO THE COCKPIT BELIEVING THE INDIVIDUAL MET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH FOR NON PLT COCKPIT OBSERVERS. ENRTE TO NASSAU; I REFERRED TO MY FLT MANUAL AND DISCOVERED MY RECOLLECTION OF WHO HAS AUTH TO AUTH NON PLT JUMP SEAT RIDERS MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECT. MY COMPANY FLT MANUAL INDICATES THE DIRECTOR OF OPS MAY AUTH NON PLT OBSERVERS TO RIDE IN THE COCKPIT. I AM NOT SURE THE LCL STATION/HUB OPS OFFICIALS HAVE PROXY AUTH FOR THE DIRECTOR OF OPS. I MAY HAVE ALLOWED THE BOARDING OF A NON AUTH INDIVIDUAL INTO THE COCKPIT OBSERVER SEAT. I FEEL I SHOULD HAVE DELAYED THE FLT ANOTHER 10 MINS AND CONTACTED MY COMPANY'S DISPATCH CTL TO GET CLARIFICATION OF THE POLICY. I FEEL THE LCL OPS AGENT MAY HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT I AM A NEW AND INEXPERIENCED CAPT.