Narrative:

I flew with a friend to phillippi, west va, to pick up my children -- 3, 5, 7, and 8 -- 30 pounds, 35 pounds, 35 pounds, and 40 pounds respectively. I flew a C-172. In the pilot's operation handbook the weight and balance section describes the installation of a child seat in the baggage area of the cabin. It is to be attached to the tie down points. I installed what I believed to be an approved child seat with straps (2000 pounds test) to tie down points. All attach points were metal to metal per far. I conducted weight and balance and all fell well within the envelope. When I picked up my children, my ex-wife said she would call FAA if my friend returned with me in the plane as that would make one more person than seat belts. I took my friend to ohio to a bus and flew my kids to ffl. At ffl, 2 representatives of FAA met me at the plane and informed me that the seat was not the 'cessna' approved seat and that the straps were not pma. I believe that pilots should have a more ready source of information concerning 'FAA approved' and 'approved for use in airplanes.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: FAA representatives who met reporter's aircraft told him that his child seat looked like a safe installation, but it was not an approved FAA installation. The only FAA approved one is a cessna seat. Reporter had checked his owners manual and thought the seat he used was adequate because it was a DOT and airline approved child restraint seat. FAA is investigating, but has not concluded.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAPPROVED SEAT INSTALLATION. FAA INVESTIGATION.

Narrative: I FLEW WITH A FRIEND TO PHILLIPPI, W VA, TO PICK UP MY CHILDREN -- 3, 5, 7, AND 8 -- 30 LBS, 35 LBS, 35 LBS, AND 40 LBS RESPECTIVELY. I FLEW A C-172. IN THE PLT'S OP HANDBOOK THE WT AND BAL SECTION DESCRIBES THE INSTALLATION OF A CHILD SEAT IN THE BAGGAGE AREA OF THE CABIN. IT IS TO BE ATTACHED TO THE TIE DOWN POINTS. I INSTALLED WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE AN APPROVED CHILD SEAT WITH STRAPS (2000 LBS TEST) TO TIE DOWN POINTS. ALL ATTACH POINTS WERE METAL TO METAL PER FAR. I CONDUCTED WT AND BAL AND ALL FELL WELL WITHIN THE ENVELOPE. WHEN I PICKED UP MY CHILDREN, MY EX-WIFE SAID SHE WOULD CALL FAA IF MY FRIEND RETURNED WITH ME IN THE PLANE AS THAT WOULD MAKE ONE MORE PERSON THAN SEAT BELTS. I TOOK MY FRIEND TO OHIO TO A BUS AND FLEW MY KIDS TO FFL. AT FFL, 2 REPRESENTATIVES OF FAA MET ME AT THE PLANE AND INFORMED ME THAT THE SEAT WAS NOT THE 'CESSNA' APPROVED SEAT AND THAT THE STRAPS WERE NOT PMA. I BELIEVE THAT PLTS SHOULD HAVE A MORE READY SOURCE OF INFO CONCERNING 'FAA APPROVED' AND 'APPROVED FOR USE IN AIRPLANES.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FAA REPRESENTATIVES WHO MET RPTR'S ACFT TOLD HIM THAT HIS CHILD SEAT LOOKED LIKE A SAFE INSTALLATION, BUT IT WAS NOT AN APPROVED FAA INSTALLATION. THE ONLY FAA APPROVED ONE IS A CESSNA SEAT. RPTR HAD CHKED HIS OWNERS MANUAL AND THOUGHT THE SEAT HE USED WAS ADEQUATE BECAUSE IT WAS A DOT AND AIRLINE APPROVED CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT. FAA IS INVESTIGATING, BUT HAS NOT CONCLUDED.

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.