An medium large transport air carrier aircraft was operated when one passenger seat belt did not wor...

Attributes
ACN	266690
Time
Date	199403
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv tracon : cle
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
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 : 7000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	266690
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

As we leveled at cruise altitude departing denver for casper, wy, the flight attendant (relatively new) advised me that a heavy set passenger that boarded our flight had asked for a seat belt extender. (The flight attendant has one extender that she usually uses for passenger briefing demos.) she gave the gentleman her belt extender and proceeded with cabin duties to prepare for takeoff. As we approached departure runway, we were cleared for takeoff. The flight attendant had closed cockpit doors indicating her readiness for departure. It wasn't until cruise that our passenger had informed our flight attendant that the belt extender did not fit the aircraft belts (buckles were not compatible). I asked her to try a few suggestions, including he suck it in and fasten the belt somehow. He was either unwilling or unable to fasten belt for landing. I believe he could have informed flight attendant before our departure, but may have not wanted to draw attention to himself. It would, at the very least, have forced us back to gate to find a solution. I've talked to maintenance and longer belt straps will be installed in this newly developed aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG ACR ACFT WAS OPERATED WHEN ONE PAX SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK SINCE HE WAS TOO LARGE FOR THE NORMAL BELT AND THE EXTENSION DID NOT WORK.

Narrative: AS WE LEVELED AT CRUISE ALT DEPARTING DENVER FOR CASPER, WY, THE FLT ATTENDANT (RELATIVELY NEW) ADVISED ME THAT A HVY SET PAX THAT BOARDED OUR FLT HAD ASKED FOR A SEAT BELT EXTENDER. (THE FLT ATTENDANT HAS ONE EXTENDER THAT SHE USUALLY USES FOR PAX BRIEFING DEMOS.) SHE GAVE THE GENTLEMAN HER BELT EXTENDER AND PROCEEDED WITH CABIN DUTIES TO PREPARE FOR TKOF. AS WE APCHED DEP RWY, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. THE FLT ATTENDANT HAD CLOSED COCKPIT DOORS INDICATING HER READINESS FOR DEP. IT WASN'T UNTIL CRUISE THAT OUR PAX HAD INFORMED OUR FLT ATTENDANT THAT THE BELT EXTENDER DID NOT FIT THE ACFT BELTS (BUCKLES WERE NOT COMPATIBLE). I ASKED HER TO TRY A FEW SUGGESTIONS, INCLUDING HE SUCK IT IN AND FASTEN THE BELT SOMEHOW. HE WAS EITHER UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO FASTEN BELT FOR LNDG. I BELIEVE HE COULD HAVE INFORMED FLT ATTENDANT BEFORE OUR DEP, BUT MAY HAVE NOT WANTED TO DRAW ATTN TO HIMSELF. IT WOULD, AT THE VERY LEAST, HAVE FORCED US BACK TO GATE TO FIND A SOLUTION. I'VE TALKED TO MAINT AND LONGER BELT STRAPS WILL BE INSTALLED IN THIS NEWLY DEVELOPED ACFT.

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.

An medium large transport air carrier aircraft was operated when one passenger seat belt did not work since he was too large for the normal belt and the extension did not work.