Narrative:

Reference log page xxxxxxx; on may/xa/06 pilot report shows that seat 33D/east/F was not secure. Lead; along with fellow technicians; tried to repair item but was unsuccessful. Lead had called me and requested a deferral for seat D/east/F. I; in return; had asked lead what was wrong with the seat. He explained that the mount bolt was loose. I said to lead that we either need to fix item or secure seat in order to MEL. I then spoke with my shift manager about situation. He agreed with my decision to either repair item or secure seat. Lead told me he felt seat was secure and safe for flight; all legs were in place inside of seat track. I have worked with lead while I was a technician at ZZZ and have confidence in his decisions when dealing with aircraft. Decision was made to MEL seat in accordance with 25-25-02. After approving MEL; quality control supervisor had called expressing that we cannot MEL this item because the seat was not secured in track. This decision I believe was via hearsay from radio conversations. At this point; I was concerned; so I contacted the operations manager; maintenance shift manager; and line control to stop the aircraft until this matter was further investigated. At this point; shift manager got involved along with quality control. Inspector was sent out to the aircraft to look at seat assembly. At this point I now have an interior technician; lead; shift manager; quality inspector -- also there was a fifth person who I do not have a name but when I was talking to lead he had said that there were 2 technicians working the seat. I have worked with all these individuals when I was at ZZZ as a technician and trust their judgement. Aside from that; I had at least 4 different individuals who were at the aircraft who were satisfied with the security of the seat and felt that it was safe for flight. I had explained the further investigation to my shift manager and we both agreed to let the aircraft fly and re-address seat when aircraft went routine overnight check in ZZZ for the night. Had the seat assembly repaired on the routine overnight check in ZZZ before its departure. I feel that the aircraft was safe for flight with the seat secured thus allowing no passenger to use seat until further maintenance could be accomplished.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-300 HAD A PLT RPT PAX SEAT LOOSE IN TRACKS. SEAT WAS REPAIRED AND SECURE IN TRACKS; BUT DEFERRED AS NOT TO BE OCCUPIED.

Narrative: REF LOG PAGE XXXXXXX; ON MAY/XA/06 PLT RPT SHOWS THAT SEAT 33D/E/F WAS NOT SECURE. LEAD; ALONG WITH FELLOW TECHNICIANS; TRIED TO REPAIR ITEM BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. LEAD HAD CALLED ME AND REQUESTED A DEFERRAL FOR SEAT D/E/F. I; IN RETURN; HAD ASKED LEAD WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE SEAT. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE MOUNT BOLT WAS LOOSE. I SAID TO LEAD THAT WE EITHER NEED TO FIX ITEM OR SECURE SEAT IN ORDER TO MEL. I THEN SPOKE WITH MY SHIFT MGR ABOUT SIT. HE AGREED WITH MY DECISION TO EITHER REPAIR ITEM OR SECURE SEAT. LEAD TOLD ME HE FELT SEAT WAS SECURE AND SAFE FOR FLT; ALL LEGS WERE IN PLACE INSIDE OF SEAT TRACK. I HAVE WORKED WITH LEAD WHILE I WAS A TECHNICIAN AT ZZZ AND HAVE CONFIDENCE IN HIS DECISIONS WHEN DEALING WITH ACFT. DECISION WAS MADE TO MEL SEAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH 25-25-02. AFTER APPROVING MEL; QUALITY CTL SUPVR HAD CALLED EXPRESSING THAT WE CANNOT MEL THIS ITEM BECAUSE THE SEAT WAS NOT SECURED IN TRACK. THIS DECISION I BELIEVE WAS VIA HEARSAY FROM RADIO CONVERSATIONS. AT THIS POINT; I WAS CONCERNED; SO I CONTACTED THE OPS MGR; MAINT SHIFT MGR; AND LINE CTL TO STOP THE ACFT UNTIL THIS MATTER WAS FURTHER INVESTIGATED. AT THIS POINT; SHIFT MGR GOT INVOLVED ALONG WITH QUALITY CTL. INSPECTOR WAS SENT OUT TO THE ACFT TO LOOK AT SEAT ASSEMBLY. AT THIS POINT I NOW HAVE AN INTERIOR TECHNICIAN; LEAD; SHIFT MGR; QUALITY INSPECTOR -- ALSO THERE WAS A FIFTH PERSON WHO I DO NOT HAVE A NAME BUT WHEN I WAS TALKING TO LEAD HE HAD SAID THAT THERE WERE 2 TECHNICIANS WORKING THE SEAT. I HAVE WORKED WITH ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS WHEN I WAS AT ZZZ AS A TECHNICIAN AND TRUST THEIR JUDGEMENT. ASIDE FROM THAT; I HAD AT LEAST 4 DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE AT THE ACFT WHO WERE SATISFIED WITH THE SECURITY OF THE SEAT AND FELT THAT IT WAS SAFE FOR FLT. I HAD EXPLAINED THE FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO MY SHIFT MGR AND WE BOTH AGREED TO LET THE ACFT FLY AND RE-ADDRESS SEAT WHEN ACFT WENT ROUTINE OVERNIGHT CHK IN ZZZ FOR THE NIGHT. HAD THE SEAT ASSEMBLY REPAIRED ON THE ROUTINE OVERNIGHT CHK IN ZZZ BEFORE ITS DEP. I FEEL THAT THE ACFT WAS SAFE FOR FLT WITH THE SEAT SECURED THUS ALLOWING NO PAX TO USE SEAT UNTIL FURTHER MAINT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED.

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.