Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Hazardous Material Violation; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Passenger Electronic Device
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Procedure; Company Policy; Human Factors
Just prior to the EEP(ETOPS Entry Point) on a flight from ZZZ to ZZZ1 we received an ACARS message from Dispatch informing us that a possible 'hoverboard' might have been loaded in the cargo area. It should not have been and with the dual concurrence of us and Dispatch it was decided that the safest course of action was an air return back to ZZZ. We discussed with Dispatch if they wanted us to burn down to a normal landing weight or land overweight. It was decided to land overweight and that Maintenance would met us at the gate and conduct the overweight inspection. We requested and received Runway 8L for landing due to its length and to minimize brake heating. The landing was normal and the overweight inspection was successfully accomplished and the 'hoverboard' was removed. Clearly; there was a breakdown somewhere that allowed an item of non approved Hazmat to be placed onboard the aircraft. How and why this happened is beyond the limited facts that I have available but I think a in-depth review of our processes and procedures with regards to these items would be warranted.
Prior to reaching the ETOPS Entry Point and Oceanic Airspace; we received a message from Dispatch informing us of a safety of flight issue regarding some luggage onboard. A Hoverboard (non-permitted item) had somehow passed through TSA screening and had potentially been loaded in a cargo compartment. In conjunction with Dispatch; we felt the safest decision was to return to our departure airport of ZZZ. This required an overweight landing and maintenance inspection. Not only was the item found on our aircraft; but apparently two Hoverboards were found. More extensive checks or passenger questioning during the check-in and security phase. Passengers need to also be made aware of the seriousness of having such Hazmat items onboard a plane.
Flight crew reported ACARS message during cruise which stated unapproved passenger Hover Board was erroneously loaded in the cargo compartment.