Aircraft equipment problem with seat belts becoming too loose while in flight on a ba-31.

Attributes
ACN	265882
Time
Date	199402
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fat
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	265882
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The crew member seat belts manufactured by xyz corp pose a definite safety hazard. When the belts are snugged down they do not remain snug, but loosen considerably and do not restrain the pilot. In turbulence the pilot would be thrown about and could very possibly strike his head on the ceiling and be rendered unconscious. The part number of the harness is 1101885-14, the flight attendant number is 110684-13. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he had verbally complained to the company regarding the problem with said seat belts. The problem rests in the fact that when the belts are very tight, they do stay snug but when loosened to the point of being comfortable, they tend to then loosen too much as in the report. There are 2 belts, the report complains of the thinner of the 2 designs. Reporter was counseled to report this in writing to his company which he said he would do, further stating that he has reported this to ASRS as well. Aircraft was a ba-31 jetstream.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB WITH SEAT BELTS BECOMING TOO LOOSE WHILE IN FLT ON A BA-31.

Narrative: THE CREW MEMBER SEAT BELTS MANUFACTURED BY XYZ CORP POSE A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD. WHEN THE BELTS ARE SNUGGED DOWN THEY DO NOT REMAIN SNUG, BUT LOOSEN CONSIDERABLY AND DO NOT RESTRAIN THE PLT. IN TURB THE PLT WOULD BE THROWN ABOUT AND COULD VERY POSSIBLY STRIKE HIS HEAD ON THE CEILING AND BE RENDERED UNCONSCIOUS. THE PART NUMBER OF THE HARNESS IS 1101885-14, THE FA NUMBER IS 110684-13. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD VERBALLY COMPLAINED TO THE COMPANY REGARDING THE PROB WITH SAID SEAT BELTS. THE PROB RESTS IN THE FACT THAT WHEN THE BELTS ARE VERY TIGHT, THEY DO STAY SNUG BUT WHEN LOOSENED TO THE POINT OF BEING COMFORTABLE, THEY TEND TO THEN LOOSEN TOO MUCH AS IN THE RPT. THERE ARE 2 BELTS, THE RPT COMPLAINS OF THE THINNER OF THE 2 DESIGNS. RPTR WAS COUNSELED TO RPT THIS IN WRITING TO HIS COMPANY WHICH HE SAID HE WOULD DO, FURTHER STATING THAT HE HAS RPTED THIS TO ASRS AS WELL. ACFT WAS A BA-31 JETSTREAM.

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.