A GULFSTREAM V AFTER LNDG AND SHUTDOWN HAD THE ELEVATOR DISCONNECT ACTIVATED BY THE PLTS SEATBELT OPENING THE DISCONNECT COVER AND ACTUATING THE RELEASE.

Narrative

AFTER LNDG AND SHUTDOWN THE ELEVATOR DISCONNECT WAS INADVERTENTLY ACTUATED WHEN THE PLT EXITED HIS SEAT. THE ACTUATION WAS A RESULT OF THE LOOSE END OF THE SEAT BELT CATCHING UNDER THE ELEVATOR DISCONNECT COVER AND ACTUATING THE RELEASE WHEN THE PLTS SEAT WAS MOVED AFT. FORTUNATELY THIS OCCURRED ON THE GND AND COULD BE RESET. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THIS TO OCCUR INFLT AND CREATE AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SIT. THE DESIGN OF THE COVER PROVIDES AN OPEN AREA WHERE THE ADJUSTING END OF THE BELT CAN LODGE AND CATCH IN THE DISCONNECT MECHANISM. SEE OPERATING MANUAL PAGE 2A-27-00 ENCLOSED. NOTE: THIS SYSTEM REQUIRES A SPECIAL TOOL TO RESET. A SIMPLE REDESIGN OF THE COVER COULD PREVENT THIS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON OTHER OCCASIONS ACCORDING TO A FLT INSTRUCTOR. THEY ARE TEACHING HOW TO RESET THIS BUT IT SHOULD BE PREVENTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE ELEVATOR DISCONNECT BY THE LOOSE END OF THE PLTS SEATBELT IS OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE HOWEVER; THE PROBLEM IS KNOWN AND BRIEFED BY GULFSTREAM 5 FLT INSTRUCTORS. THE RPTR SAID WITH THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE ELEVATOR DISCONNECT A SPECIAL TOOL IS REQUIRED TO RESET THE DISCONNECT DEVICE. THE RPTR STATED THE DESIGN OF THE DISCONNECT COVER IS DEFICIENT AS THE SEATBELT CATCHES ON THE INBOARD SURFACE FLIPPING IT OPEN THEN ACTIVATING THE POWER DISCONNECT ASSIST TRIGGER DEPLOYING THE HANDLE SEPARATING THE L AND R ELEVATOR SYSTEMS. THE RPTR SAID THIS COULD BE HAZARDOUS TO FLT IF DEPLOYED.