Narrative:

I was the captain on this flight. Due to far legalities, the crew arrived at elp late the previous night. The flight was delayed approximately 45 mins. After coordinating with the agents, I concurred with the request to leave early, if all the passenger were aboard. While waiting to see if we would, in fact, be able to depart closer to our originally scheduled departure time, I had the seatbelt sign off, in the automatic position. In the last min rush to depart a few mins early, I neglected to turn the seatbelt sign on prior to departing the gate, and did not notice it till immediately after takeoff. I then put the sign on. Note, the sign was probably on for takeoff because the switch was in the automatic position, and the sign would have illuminated with slat extension, which was done on initial taxi out. However, the sign was off during the pushback. I normally mark my checklist when an item needs to be returned to, but I got out of my routine and blew it. Everyone was seated and belted in, the flight attendants did their safety check, no turbulence was encountered, and no one got hurt. However, I should not have missed the item, and will re-emphasize the use of the checklist.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MD SUPER 80 FORGOT TO RESET THE SEAT BELT SIGN FROM 'AUTO' TO 'ON' PRIOR TO PUSHBACK, TAXI AND TKOF. HOWEVER, SINCE THE SWITCH WAS IN 'AUTO,' THE SEAT BELT SIGN WOULD HAVE AUTOMATICALLY LIT WHEN THE WING SLATS WERE DEPLOYED DURING TAXI OUT. THEREFORE, SEAT BELT SIGN WAS NOT ON DURING PUSHBACK AND PART OF TAXI.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON THIS FLT. DUE TO FAR LEGALITIES, THE CREW ARRIVED AT ELP LATE THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. THE FLT WAS DELAYED APPROX 45 MINS. AFTER COORDINATING WITH THE AGENTS, I CONCURRED WITH THE REQUEST TO LEAVE EARLY, IF ALL THE PAX WERE ABOARD. WHILE WAITING TO SEE IF WE WOULD, IN FACT, BE ABLE TO DEPART CLOSER TO OUR ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED DEP TIME, I HAD THE SEATBELT SIGN OFF, IN THE AUTO POS. IN THE LAST MIN RUSH TO DEPART A FEW MINS EARLY, I NEGLECTED TO TURN THE SEATBELT SIGN ON PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE GATE, AND DID NOT NOTICE IT TILL IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF. I THEN PUT THE SIGN ON. NOTE, THE SIGN WAS PROBABLY ON FOR TKOF BECAUSE THE SWITCH WAS IN THE AUTO POS, AND THE SIGN WOULD HAVE ILLUMINATED WITH SLAT EXTENSION, WHICH WAS DONE ON INITIAL TAXI OUT. HOWEVER, THE SIGN WAS OFF DURING THE PUSHBACK. I NORMALLY MARK MY CHKLIST WHEN AN ITEM NEEDS TO BE RETURNED TO, BUT I GOT OUT OF MY ROUTINE AND BLEW IT. EVERYONE WAS SEATED AND BELTED IN, THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID THEIR SAFETY CHK, NO TURB WAS ENCOUNTERED, AND NO ONE GOT HURT. HOWEVER, I SHOULD NOT HAVE MISSED THE ITEM, AND WILL RE-EMPHASIZE THE USE OF THE CHKLIST.

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.