Narrative:

We were between 12000 ft and 11000 ft MSL on descent, preparing to accomplish the final items on the approach checklist -- 1) cycling of the no smoking sign, our company's method of informing the flight attendants to have passenger stop using personal electronic devices and landing imminent, and 2) rechk altimeters, while being vectored for a visual approach to runway 26R. We had slowed the aircraft to 250 KIAS because we had previously been cleared to descend to 7000 ft. We were then instructed to proceed to the FAF, descend to 2500 ft, look for our traffic (a heavy jet over the marker), look for traffic turning in for the south runway, and also advised that we had a high overtake speed on our traffic. We accomplished all of those instructions and began to slow and configure the aircraft for landing. We proceeded to accomplish a normal landing. Throughout our entire descent and approach we had been instructed to maintain best forward airspeed. While deplaning the passenger, we were informed by an irate male passenger who idented himself to my fellow crew member only as someone 'in the airline business,' (I never spoke with him), a jump seat flight attendant and the onboard leader that we had not cycled the no smoking sign. Apparently amidst the confusion and distraction from the checklist while being given the short approach we had not cycled the sign. We believed that we had accomplished all checklist items prior to being told that we had not done so by the above listed persons. All flight attendants were in their seats for landing, except 1 flight attendant who had been in the lavatory and chose to situation in a passenger seat rather than try to get back to her jump seat. All galley items and equipment were secured for landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHKLIST ITEMS AFFECTING TIMELY COMPLETION AND PREPARATION FOR LNDG OF CABIN CREW WERE MISSED WHEN DISTRACTED BY ATC COM DURING APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE BTWN 12000 FT AND 11000 FT MSL ON DSCNT, PREPARING TO ACCOMPLISH THE FINAL ITEMS ON THE APCH CHKLIST -- 1) CYCLING OF THE NO SMOKING SIGN, OUR COMPANY'S METHOD OF INFORMING THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO HAVE PAX STOP USING PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND LNDG IMMINENT, AND 2) RECHK ALTIMETERS, WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R. WE HAD SLOWED THE ACFT TO 250 KIAS BECAUSE WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CLRED TO DSND TO 7000 FT. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED TO THE FAF, DSND TO 2500 FT, LOOK FOR OUR TFC (A HVY JET OVER THE MARKER), LOOK FOR TFC TURNING IN FOR THE S RWY, AND ALSO ADVISED THAT WE HAD A HIGH OVERTAKE SPD ON OUR TFC. WE ACCOMPLISHED ALL OF THOSE INSTRUCTIONS AND BEGAN TO SLOW AND CONFIGURE THE ACFT FOR LNDG. WE PROCEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH A NORMAL LNDG. THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE DSCNT AND APCH WE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN BEST FORWARD AIRSPD. WHILE DEPLANING THE PAX, WE WERE INFORMED BY AN IRATE MALE PAX WHO IDENTED HIMSELF TO MY FELLOW CREW MEMBER ONLY AS SOMEONE 'IN THE AIRLINE BUSINESS,' (I NEVER SPOKE WITH HIM), A JUMP SEAT FLT ATTENDANT AND THE ONBOARD LEADER THAT WE HAD NOT CYCLED THE NO SMOKING SIGN. APPARENTLY AMIDST THE CONFUSION AND DISTR FROM THE CHKLIST WHILE BEING GIVEN THE SHORT APCH WE HAD NOT CYCLED THE SIGN. WE BELIEVED THAT WE HAD ACCOMPLISHED ALL CHKLIST ITEMS PRIOR TO BEING TOLD THAT WE HAD NOT DONE SO BY THE ABOVE LISTED PERSONS. ALL FLT ATTENDANTS WERE IN THEIR SEATS FOR LNDG, EXCEPT 1 FLT ATTENDANT WHO HAD BEEN IN THE LAVATORY AND CHOSE TO SIT IN A PAX SEAT RATHER THAN TRY TO GET BACK TO HER JUMP SEAT. ALL GALLEY ITEMS AND EQUIP WERE SECURED FOR LNDG.

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.