An air carrier medium large transport flew with improper seat cushions.

Attributes
ACN	262134
Time
Date	199401
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On jan, tues, I was advised by our maintenance control that a quality assurance audit was performed on air carrier aircraft X. Several seats in first class section did not have flotation seat bottoms with arm loops. I inspected the aircraft and found 5 seats (1F, 2B, 2F, 3D, and 3F) without arm loops. This aircraft was OTS (for other reasons) and did not fly, so I ordered seat bottoms assembly the next morning, wed, jan 1994, the seat bottoms that I ordered did not arrive. The aircraft was scheduled for an XJ20 departure. When I advised maintenance control of the discrepancy, I was told that I could install an information placard on the aircraft logbook 'aircraft non overwater operation only.' I got a control number, and maintenance control was to schedule the aircraft to get the seat bottoms changed. Later that day, the aircraft placard was changed to an MEL 25-06 (seats inoperative, do not use) because the information placard was considered by our quality assurance of being a 'gray area.' the seat cushions were changed out fri, jan and placard was removed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG FLEW WITH IMPROPER SEAT CUSHIONS.

Narrative: ON JAN, TUES, I WAS ADVISED BY OUR MAINT CTL THAT A QUALITY ASSURANCE AUDIT WAS PERFORMED ON ACR ACFT X. SEVERAL SEATS IN FIRST CLASS SECTION DID NOT HAVE FLOTATION SEAT BOTTOMS WITH ARM LOOPS. I INSPECTED THE ACFT AND FOUND 5 SEATS (1F, 2B, 2F, 3D, AND 3F) WITHOUT ARM LOOPS. THIS ACFT WAS OTS (FOR OTHER REASONS) AND DID NOT FLY, SO I ORDERED SEAT BOTTOMS ASSEMBLY THE NEXT MORNING, WED, JAN 1994, THE SEAT BOTTOMS THAT I ORDERED DID NOT ARRIVE. THE ACFT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN XJ20 DEP. WHEN I ADVISED MAINT CTL OF THE DISCREPANCY, I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD INSTALL AN INFORMATION PLACARD ON THE ACFT LOGBOOK 'ACFT NON OVERWATER OP ONLY.' I GOT A CTL NUMBER, AND MAINT CTL WAS TO SCHEDULE THE ACFT TO GET THE SEAT BOTTOMS CHANGED. LATER THAT DAY, THE ACFT PLACARD WAS CHANGED TO AN MEL 25-06 (SEATS INOP, DO NOT USE) BECAUSE THE INFO PLACARD WAS CONSIDERED BY OUR QUALITY ASSURANCE OF BEING A 'GRAY AREA.' THE SEAT CUSHIONS WERE CHANGED OUT FRI, JAN AND PLACARD WAS REMOVED.

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.