Narrative:

We were preflting aircraft XXXX for our first flight in this aircraft operating flight XXXX. FAA operations inspector XXXX was also joining us to ZZZ and was occupying the jumpseat. During our preflight duties; the flight attendant reported that the seats located at 7A&B were reclining into the exit row. These seats are not supposed to recline at all. Maintenance came out and found the non-reclining seats located at 11A&B. They then switched out the seas so that they were located in the proper location. A c-chk had been done on this aircraft within the last 10 days according to the mechanics. He also stated that it was contract maintenance. I am not familiar with the checks and balances that are required for maintenance inspections; especially with contract maintenance; but obviously something in the system failed. If the company is going to outsource maintenance; c-chks; etc; maybe we should have a company maintenance inspection prior to return to service to catch problems such as the one above. This situation was somewhat embarrassing in front of the FAA.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE IMPROPER SEATS INSTALLED AT THE OVERWING EMER EXIT. SEATS RECLINED INTO EXIT ROW. SEATS WERE INSTALLED AT A CONTRACT MAINT FACILITY.

Narrative: WE WERE PREFLTING ACFT XXXX FOR OUR FIRST FLT IN THIS ACFT OPERATING FLT XXXX. FAA OPS INSPECTOR XXXX WAS ALSO JOINING US TO ZZZ AND WAS OCCUPYING THE JUMPSEAT. DURING OUR PREFLT DUTIES; THE FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT THE SEATS LOCATED AT 7A&B WERE RECLINING INTO THE EXIT ROW. THESE SEATS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO RECLINE AT ALL. MAINT CAME OUT AND FOUND THE NON-RECLINING SEATS LOCATED AT 11A&B. THEY THEN SWITCHED OUT THE SEAS SO THAT THEY WERE LOCATED IN THE PROPER LOCATION. A C-CHK HAD BEEN DONE ON THIS ACFT WITHIN THE LAST 10 DAYS ACCORDING TO THE MECHS. HE ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS CONTRACT MAINT. I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CHKS AND BALANCES THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR MAINT INSPECTIONS; ESPECIALLY WITH CONTRACT MAINT; BUT OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING IN THE SYS FAILED. IF THE COMPANY IS GOING TO OUTSOURCE MAINT; C-CHKS; ETC; MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE A COMPANY MAINT INSPECTION PRIOR TO RETURN TO SVC TO CATCH PROBS SUCH AS THE ONE ABOVE. THIS SITUATION WAS SOMEWHAT EMBARRASSING IN FRONT OF THE FAA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.