Flight crew forgot to turn on the seat belt sign.

Attributes
ACN	271533
Time
Date	199405
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmh
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tracon : cmh tower : pdx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute airway : zob
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	271533
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer commenced a gradual descent in order to cross nikls intersection (east of columbus) at 11000. The seat belt sign did not get turned on until flap extension while downwind. The automatic position of the switch illuminated all seat belt signs when the flaps came to position #1. There was no assistance or calls over the intercom from any of the flight attendants to back us up. It was during my shutdown flow after block-in at columbus that I noticed that the switch was in the automatic position (rather than on). I questioned the flight attendants as to why they did not call us as a reminder -- the #1 flight attendant responded that he thought there was a malfunction that caused the signs not to illuminate. The cabin was fully prepared for landing as we made a 10000 ft AGL call over the PA system during descent per air carrier -- SOP. I attribute this incident to flight crew fatigue. This was day 2 of a 3 day trip. The phoenix domiciled crew into a wakeup time in columbus at approximately XE45 local (XB45 phoenix time). I find it extremely difficult to get to sleep at xv:pm (xs:pm body clock) in order to not feel fatigued the next day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC FORGOT TO TURN ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN.

Narrative: FO COMMENCED A GRADUAL DSCNT IN ORDER TO CROSS NIKLS INTXN (E OF COLUMBUS) AT 11000. THE SEAT BELT SIGN DID NOT GET TURNED ON UNTIL FLAP EXTENSION WHILE DOWNWIND. THE AUTO POS OF THE SWITCH ILLUMINATED ALL SEAT BELT SIGNS WHEN THE FLAPS CAME TO POS #1. THERE WAS NO ASSISTANCE OR CALLS OVER THE INTERCOM FROM ANY OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO BACK US UP. IT WAS DURING MY SHUTDOWN FLOW AFTER BLOCK-IN AT COLUMBUS THAT I NOTICED THAT THE SWITCH WAS IN THE AUTO POS (RATHER THAN ON). I QUESTIONED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AS TO WHY THEY DID NOT CALL US AS A REMINDER -- THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT RESPONDED THAT HE THOUGHT THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION THAT CAUSED THE SIGNS NOT TO ILLUMINATE. THE CABIN WAS FULLY PREPARED FOR LNDG AS WE MADE A 10000 FT AGL CALL OVER THE PA SYS DURING DSCNT PER ACR -- SOP. I ATTRIBUTE THIS INCIDENT TO FLC FATIGUE. THIS WAS DAY 2 OF A 3 DAY TRIP. THE PHOENIX DOMICILED CREW INTO A WAKEUP TIME IN COLUMBUS AT APPROX XE45 LCL (XB45 PHOENIX TIME). I FIND IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET TO SLEEP AT XV:PM (XS:PM BODY CLOCK) IN ORDER TO NOT FEEL FATIGUED THE NEXT DAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.