<< >> NASA ASRS Report 458764, December 1999

Aircraft was dispatched in non compliance with a failed passenger seatbelt not reported in the logbook or deferred per the MEL.

Attributes
ACN	458764
Time
Date	199912
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	458764
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Situations
Publication	Federal Court Injunction

Narrative:

The flight attendant came forward to the flight deck and reported that a passenger had broken a seatbelt. She said that she had moved the passenger to another seat and had solved the problem. She further stated that we did not need the seat with the broken seatbelt for a passenger and we could delay the write-up until arriving in XXX. I did not write up the broken seatbelt in the maintenance log, or report the broken belt to maintenance until arriving in XXX. I believe we are no longer allowed to write up minor discrepancies and may be held responsible if we do so. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter was warned of penalties for writing up frivolous and unnecessary maintenance reports. The reporter said no clear guidelines defined what is a frivolous or unnecessary maintenance report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A FAILED PAX SEATBELT NOT RPTED IN THE LOGBOOK OR DEFERRED PER THE MEL.

Narrative: THE FLT ATTENDANT CAME FORWARD TO THE FLT DECK AND RPTED THAT A PAX HAD BROKEN A SEATBELT. SHE SAID THAT SHE HAD MOVED THE PAX TO ANOTHER SEAT AND HAD SOLVED THE PROB. SHE FURTHER STATED THAT WE DID NOT NEED THE SEAT WITH THE BROKEN SEATBELT FOR A PAX AND WE COULD DELAY THE WRITE-UP UNTIL ARRIVING IN XXX. I DID NOT WRITE UP THE BROKEN SEATBELT IN THE MAINT LOG, OR RPT THE BROKEN BELT TO MAINT UNTIL ARRIVING IN XXX. I BELIEVE WE ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO WRITE UP MINOR DISCREPANCIES AND MAY BE HELD RESPONSIBLE IF WE DO SO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS WARNED OF PENALTIES FOR WRITING UP FRIVOLOUS AND UNNECESSARY MAINT RPTS. THE RPTR SAID NO CLR GUIDELINES DEFINED WHAT IS A FRIVOLOUS OR UNNECESSARY MAINT RPT.

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.