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Cabin attendant reports infant using a child protective seat for which he was not qualified by age; weight or physical capability.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 792031 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200805 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight attendant : on duty |
| ASRS Report | 792031 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : company policies non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Passenger Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Passenger Human Performance |
Narrative:
I noticed an infant seated in xe traveling with his parents in xd and xf. The infant did not have a seat -- he was originally on his mother's lap. Then after passenger switched seats; the parents sat in xd and xf and seated their infant son between them and proceeded to use their FAA approved crs/acsd device and fastened their son into the device in the seat. When I saw this; my first gut instinct told me that this infant was way too small for this device. I had to take a second look. I asked his mother his age and she responded that he was something like 15-18 months. I know that when this device was first introduced; the age requirements stipulated it was designed for children between 2-4 yrs of age and they had to weigh 22-44 pounds. I could tell that this infant didn't weigh 22 pounds; no way. So I went back to my manual and researched this. According to the FAA and air carrier; a child as young as 1 yr of age can use this device as long as they can situation upright unassisted. Who comes up with this stuff? I'm shocked. The infant on my airplane could not hold up his head; shoulders; or neck. If our aircraft encountered unexpected chop and turbulence en route; this little boy could have suffered a serious injury.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CABIN ATTENDANT REPORTS INFANT USING A CHILD PROTECTIVE SEAT FOR WHICH HE WAS NOT QUALIFIED BY AGE; WEIGHT OR PHYSICAL CAPABILITY.
Narrative: I NOTICED AN INFANT SEATED IN XE TRAVELING WITH HIS PARENTS IN XD AND XF. THE INFANT DID NOT HAVE A SEAT -- HE WAS ORIGINALLY ON HIS MOTHER'S LAP. THEN AFTER PAX SWITCHED SEATS; THE PARENTS SAT IN XD AND XF AND SEATED THEIR INFANT SON BTWN THEM AND PROCEEDED TO USE THEIR FAA APPROVED CRS/ACSD DEVICE AND FASTENED THEIR SON INTO THE DEVICE IN THE SEAT. WHEN I SAW THIS; MY FIRST GUT INSTINCT TOLD ME THAT THIS INFANT WAS WAY TOO SMALL FOR THIS DEVICE. I HAD TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK. I ASKED HIS MOTHER HIS AGE AND SHE RESPONDED THAT HE WAS SOMETHING LIKE 15-18 MONTHS. I KNOW THAT WHEN THIS DEVICE WAS FIRST INTRODUCED; THE AGE REQUIREMENTS STIPULATED IT WAS DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN BTWN 2-4 YRS OF AGE AND THEY HAD TO WEIGH 22-44 LBS. I COULD TELL THAT THIS INFANT DIDN'T WEIGH 22 LBS; NO WAY. SO I WENT BACK TO MY MANUAL AND RESEARCHED THIS. ACCORDING TO THE FAA AND ACR; A CHILD AS YOUNG AS 1 YR OF AGE CAN USE THIS DEVICE AS LONG AS THEY CAN SIT UPRIGHT UNASSISTED. WHO COMES UP WITH THIS STUFF? I'M SHOCKED. THE INFANT ON MY AIRPLANE COULD NOT HOLD UP HIS HEAD; SHOULDERS; OR NECK. IF OUR ACFT ENCOUNTERED UNEXPECTED CHOP AND TURB ENRTE; THIS LITTLE BOY COULD HAVE SUFFERED A SERIOUS INJURY.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.