Seat belts - potential safety issue

[gblwy]

Last week my flap lever jammed while extending flaps for landing, and I had difficulty lowering the flaps.

Subsequent investigation revealed that my wife (right seat) had wrapped her left lap belt around the flap bracket, before attaching it. There's a loose label on the seat belt which normally is between the belt and the seat cushion. If the belt is wrapped around the flap bracket the label is now between the belt and the flap mechanism and can, and indeed did, get jammed in the flap extension mechanism.

Not too serious perhaps, but an unexpected problem for me just prior to turning final. The picture is not too clear, but the passenger's belt is going around the pilot's side of the flap lever. You can see the white lable positioned just right to interfere with the flap.

Cheers...Keith

 

[ArlingtonRV]

Good wire cutter too...

The flap handle also makes an efficient wire cutter. The cable for my iPod somehow managed to get caught through the flap handle. When I went to lower the flaps to land there was some resistence, so naturally I pulled harder, and all the sudden the music stopped! When I got out I found the cable in two pieces neatly cut. Needless to say I'm a little more careful where wires go now.