MD-11
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Hazardous Material Violation; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Human Factors; Procedure
Upon arrival at the aircraft we noticed a pallet that had been double stacked and the bottom row had 'Do not double stack' stickers all along the bottom row. RFO noticed Lithium batteries were on the bottom row. I learned from ramp agent the pallet and two others were a trans load. I told them we could not accept the pallet in current form; they decided to bump the pallet and we took a picture of it. We later learned the Lithium batteries were not listed on the original Part A as Miscellaneous Hazmat. I then asked the ramp agent to check the other two pallets for any other undeclared hazmat; the two pallets were OK. The pallet was removed but it weighed 7;000 lbs. Not all of the weight was Lithium batteries but enough to cause a severe fire. I suspect the people who built the pallet. Better supervision.
MD11 Captain is informed by the Relief First Officer that a pallet of Lithium Batteries has been double stacked in violation of labeling and procedures. The pallet was just being loaded on their aircraft but had already flown a great distance. The batteries were not on the hazmat form either and were left behind.