Aircraft not airworthy to carry all seated passenger.

Attributes
ACN	287977
Time
Date	199410
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	287977
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9200 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	287440
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I improperly misread the aircraft MEL log. One of the passenger seats was inoperative -- apparent spring to seat buckle disconnect was missing. Flight continued from bos-bdl with a passenger occupying the broken seat. I didn't realize the seat was broken until after postflt. The confusion happened when the crew was told to swap aircraft in little time. Thus, our efforts were rushed, and the broken seat was not realized while trying to depart on time within schedule. Problem arose: on aircraft swap -- rush situation to preflight and prepare new aircraft on time. Discovered: after the postflt. Human factor: my willing to depart on time but failure to fully read understand MEL completely and forgot about broken seat. Careless mistake. Supplemental information from acn 287440: the captain was a first time PIC with 3 months experience and I am a 3 month new hire first officer. The affected seat should have been blocked 'do not occupy' and the MEL inoperative sticker should have been placed in a more visible position with regards to the cockpit lighting as directed by the MEL procedure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT NOT AIRWORTHY TO CARRY ALL SEATED PAX.

Narrative: I IMPROPERLY MISREAD THE ACFT MEL LOG. ONE OF THE PAX SEATS WAS INOP -- APPARENT SPRING TO SEAT BUCKLE DISCONNECT WAS MISSING. FLT CONTINUED FROM BOS-BDL WITH A PAX OCCUPYING THE BROKEN SEAT. I DIDN'T REALIZE THE SEAT WAS BROKEN UNTIL AFTER POSTFLT. THE CONFUSION HAPPENED WHEN THE CREW WAS TOLD TO SWAP ACFT IN LITTLE TIME. THUS, OUR EFFORTS WERE RUSHED, AND THE BROKEN SEAT WAS NOT REALIZED WHILE TRYING TO DEPART ON TIME WITHIN SCHEDULE. PROBLEM AROSE: ON ACFT SWAP -- RUSH SIT TO PREFLT AND PREPARE NEW ACFT ON TIME. DISCOVERED: AFTER THE POSTFLT. HUMAN FACTOR: MY WILLING TO DEPART ON TIME BUT FAILURE TO FULLY READ UNDERSTAND MEL COMPLETELY AND FORGOT ABOUT BROKEN SEAT. CARELESS MISTAKE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 287440: THE CAPT WAS A FIRST TIME PIC WITH 3 MONTHS EXPERIENCE AND I AM A 3 MONTH NEW HIRE FO. THE AFFECTED SEAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BLOCKED 'DO NOT OCCUPY' AND THE MEL INOP STICKER SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED IN A MORE VISIBLE POS WITH REGARDS TO THE COCKPIT LIGHTING AS DIRECTED BY THE MEL PROC.

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.