Flight crew of an MD88 took off with the passenger seat belt lights off.

Attributes
ACN	447032
Time
Date	199908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 7700 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	447032
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	446830
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Placed on indefinite departure delay for WX. Taxied to run-up block. With APU operating, engines were shut down, seat belt sign was extinguished. Upon tower notification, engines were restarted and before takeoff checklist was completed including verbal confirmation from the lead flight attendant that the cabin was ready for takeoff. Uneventful takeoff followed by maneuvering around WX. Captain completed after takeoff checklist, but discovered fasten seat belt light switch was already in the off position. WX and passenger comfort contributed to this oversight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MD88 TOOK OFF WITH THE PAX SEAT BELT LIGHTS OFF.

Narrative: PLACED ON INDEFINITE DEP DELAY FOR WX. TAXIED TO RUN-UP BLOCK. WITH APU OPERATING, ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN, SEAT BELT SIGN WAS EXTINGUISHED. UPON TWR NOTIFICATION, ENGS WERE RESTARTED AND BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED INCLUDING VERBAL CONFIRMATION FROM THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT THAT THE CABIN WAS READY FOR TKOF. UNEVENTFUL TKOF FOLLOWED BY MANEUVERING AROUND WX. CAPT COMPLETED AFTER TKOF CHKLIST, BUT DISCOVERED FASTEN SEAT BELT LIGHT SWITCH WAS ALREADY IN THE OFF POS. WX AND PAX COMFORT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS OVERSIGHT.

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.