Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Total 21000
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Hazardous Material Violation; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Procedure
Outbound running about 30 minutes behind before pushback due to late inbound aircraft. Passengers loaded; entry door closed. Forward cargo door still open. First Officer notices out his window 5 rampers struggling to load an extremely large passenger mobility device. It's so big and heavy; it takes another 30 minutes to load. Delay public addresses made every 10 minutes. Operations calls us looking for an actual weight of the device from the owner of the unit. Flight Attendant relays to us 480 lbs. Operations tells us that's seriously above the weight the passenger disclosed at the gate. Nobody really knows what this thing weighs. Forward cargo door closed; tug driver checks in with me on the headset. He says they're ready for push. Considering the size of this unit; I request from him info on the device battery. He's unsure of the type; and says the battery has been removed and is sitting unpackaged next to the unit on the floor in the forward cargo. I explain that is unacceptable; that the battery needs to be in a special battery box if it's been removed. He says he'll look into it with his manager. Another 30 minutes pass.All the while; myself and the First Officer are in books looking up the exact requirements in the FOM regarding mobility devices and batteries. Tug driver checks back in and says he was wrong; that the battery is still in the unit; and that they are going to remove it. I ask what type of battery it is. He doesn't know and they're trying to find out. Based on my public addresses; the owner of the unit senses what's happening and discloses to the flight attendants that it's a non-spillable/gel battery. With this info we reference FOM 3D-XX which states: 'The battery may remain in the unit; but the unit must be upright; secured in the cargo compartment; and protected from accidental activation' (amongst a few other items).At this point; still at the gate; several passengers want off as they were going to mis-connect the last flights of the night in ZZZ1. Agent returns; bridge reconnected. Several folks deplane. I go outside to discuss situation with Crew Chief and Manager. I explain we've been informed by owner of the battery type; and that they can leave it installed if FOM 3D-XX is complied with. I observe in forward cargo; unit is upright; but not secured in place. I ask about securing unit. Chief tells me not possible; they 'never' do that and all they can do [is] put up the compartment separation nets. I ask them to do that. I then ask about accidental activation of the unit. Nobody really has a good answer.I return to the cockpit. Flight Attendant closes door. Agent pulls bridge. We push back. On taxi-out I inquire to First Officer if weight and balance is listed on the close out as required in FOM 4D-X. He says no.Enroute to ZZZ1; my First Officer finds another reference in the FOM with regards to our ordeal. Page 3D-XY; which states that a non-spillable gel battery 'must' be removed from device and packaged in a battery box. This directly conflicts with page 3D-XX. With these two conflicting references; I am quite unsure if we were legal or not regarding leaving the battery installed. I also feel I really stretched the rules regarding device security by accepting the Chief's explanation that all they had were the dividing nets; and no way to tie this thing down. And as far as 'accidental activation;' this is vague and very unclear how to comply. I also should not have departed without weight and balance on the close out; but felt covered because I was aware of the battery onboard.
Passenger had a large wheelchair/scooter to check. Ramp had difficulty loading due to weight (480 lbs). When all doors closed; Captain asked about compliance with policy on wheelchair batteries. Ramp did not know compliance. Flight crew looked and initially found that the non-spillable wet batteries can be kept in the device provided that the terminals were disconnected or device is made not to accidentally operate. It was later in flight that we looked harder and found that the initial document was the Operations Manual 1 (OM1) and in the FOM; it states that all batteries must be removed and stored in a separate rigid box. Ramp was unaware of this; so was Supervisor; and ZZZ Operations. HAZMAT phone number would not help since it wasn't cargo; and transferred us to customer service.ZZZ Operations and flight crew did not know the policy for this device. Flight crew tried to expedite the search and ended up using the wrong document (OM1 versus FOM). When OM1 is no longer in use; remove it from [the EFB]. Also; ramp and Operations should be trained and familiar with cargo operations more that the flight crews.
B737-800 flight crew reported communication breakdown between flight crew and Dispatch/Ground Personnel regarding battery powered mobility device transport configuration.