Narrative:

Climbing through approximately 14000 ft, the 'a' flight attendant called and asked if we knew the seatbelt sign was not on. Yes, indeed, it was not on -- how could that be? We had run the checklist. 'Seatbelt switch -- on' is a response on the before start checklist and we had run the list, so how was it missed? I usually physically touch the switch when challenged. Apparently this time I didn't and either did not check it or looked over the top of my bifocal sunglasses and thought it was in the 'on' position. Either way, it was not on. I asked the 'a' flight attendant when she noticed it and her response was, 'on taxi out.' I asked why didn't you say something? She said, 'I didn't want to bother you.' I try to give a very complete crew briefing prior to the trip and emphasize the importance of working as a team. This will have to be re-emphasized in later briefings. I will admit the entire crew was tired at this point. This was day 2 of 3. Day 1 was 12 hours plus and 8 hours flying time, minimum crew rest, 9 hours + 45 mins. Day 2 was 11 hours plus and I think the entire crew just wanted to get to the hotel and get some sleep. I know I slept 10 1/2 hours that night. The moral: fatigue, not paying enough attention to a checklist item (or not seeing what I thought I saw), and a breakdown in CRM caused an error -- a small one, but nevertheless an error. Attention and good CRM techniques should be the order of the day -- every day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLC NOTIFIED DURING CLB BY FLT ATTENDANT THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS NOT ON FOR TKOF.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH APPROX 14000 FT, THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND ASKED IF WE KNEW THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS NOT ON. YES, INDEED, IT WAS NOT ON -- HOW COULD THAT BE? WE HAD RUN THE CHKLIST. 'SEATBELT SWITCH -- ON' IS A RESPONSE ON THE BEFORE START CHKLIST AND WE HAD RUN THE LIST, SO HOW WAS IT MISSED? I USUALLY PHYSICALLY TOUCH THE SWITCH WHEN CHALLENGED. APPARENTLY THIS TIME I DIDN'T AND EITHER DID NOT CHK IT OR LOOKED OVER THE TOP OF MY BIFOCAL SUNGLASSES AND THOUGHT IT WAS IN THE 'ON' POS. EITHER WAY, IT WAS NOT ON. I ASKED THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT WHEN SHE NOTICED IT AND HER RESPONSE WAS, 'ON TAXI OUT.' I ASKED WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING? SHE SAID, 'I DIDN'T WANT TO BOTHER YOU.' I TRY TO GIVE A VERY COMPLETE CREW BRIEFING PRIOR TO THE TRIP AND EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING AS A TEAM. THIS WILL HAVE TO BE RE-EMPHASIZED IN LATER BRIEFINGS. I WILL ADMIT THE ENTIRE CREW WAS TIRED AT THIS POINT. THIS WAS DAY 2 OF 3. DAY 1 WAS 12 HRS PLUS AND 8 HRS FLYING TIME, MINIMUM CREW REST, 9 HRS + 45 MINS. DAY 2 WAS 11 HRS PLUS AND I THINK THE ENTIRE CREW JUST WANTED TO GET TO THE HOTEL AND GET SOME SLEEP. I KNOW I SLEPT 10 1/2 HRS THAT NIGHT. THE MORAL: FATIGUE, NOT PAYING ENOUGH ATTN TO A CHKLIST ITEM (OR NOT SEEING WHAT I THOUGHT I SAW), AND A BREAKDOWN IN CRM CAUSED AN ERROR -- A SMALL ONE, BUT NEVERTHELESS AN ERROR. ATTN AND GOOD CRM TECHNIQUES SHOULD BE THE ORDER OF THE DAY -- EVERY 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.