Narrative:

Possibly minor portion of oxygen masks missing. Part is plastic and is a goggle valve part for keeping goggles clear in smoke. One pilot flew with this piece missing from mask and an observer mask also had this piece missing. The third mask had a return spring broken on the head band. Flight crews are not checking the aircraft equipment properly. The equipment was flown into the non maintenance station by another crew. This inbound crew and very probably other crews had been flying with broken oxygen masks. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states that check of oxygen masks is normal part of checklist. He is very thorough in his checks, having had experience in an altitude chamber and knowing the consequences of oxygen loss. He found many masks with a small plastic valve on top that is broken. This introduces air into the smoke goggles to keep them clear. He also tests to see if mask will hold pressure to permit pressure breathing if cabin pressure lost. Found 5 in a row that did not hold pressure. On finding that the replacement mask was also defective, reporter discussed with maintenance their testing of the masks before return to service. They really don't seem to have a testing policy. Also found the walk around bottle on some aircraft does not have correct fittings for the masks aboard. Has followed through with reports to and meetings with flight manager and maintenance.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEFECTIVE OXYGEN MASKS FOUND ON PREFLT CHECK. REQUESTED REPLACEMENT AND DETERMINED THE REPLACEMENT MASK WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE. FREQUENT OCCURRENCE.

Narrative: POSSIBLY MINOR PORTION OF OXYGEN MASKS MISSING. PART IS PLASTIC AND IS A GOGGLE VALVE PART FOR KEEPING GOGGLES CLEAR IN SMOKE. ONE PLT FLEW WITH THIS PIECE MISSING FROM MASK AND AN OBSERVER MASK ALSO HAD THIS PIECE MISSING. THE THIRD MASK HAD A RETURN SPRING BROKEN ON THE HEAD BAND. FLT CREWS ARE NOT CHECKING THE ACFT EQUIPMENT PROPERLY. THE EQUIPMENT WAS FLOWN INTO THE NON MAINT STATION BY ANOTHER CREW. THIS INBND CREW AND VERY PROBABLY OTHER CREWS HAD BEEN FLYING WITH BROKEN OXYGEN MASKS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER STATES THAT CHECK OF OXYGEN MASKS IS NORMAL PART OF CHECKLIST. HE IS VERY THOROUGH IN HIS CHECKS, HAVING HAD EXPERIENCE IN AN ALT CHAMBER AND KNOWING THE CONSEQUENCES OF OXYGEN LOSS. HE FOUND MANY MASKS WITH A SMALL PLASTIC VALVE ON TOP THAT IS BROKEN. THIS INTRODUCES AIR INTO THE SMOKE GOGGLES TO KEEP THEM CLEAR. HE ALSO TESTS TO SEE IF MASK WILL HOLD PRESSURE TO PERMIT PRESSURE BREATHING IF CABIN PRESSURE LOST. FOUND 5 IN A ROW THAT DID NOT HOLD PRESSURE. ON FINDING THAT THE REPLACEMENT MASK WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE, REPORTER DISCUSSED WITH MAINT THEIR TESTING OF THE MASKS BEFORE RETURN TO SERVICE. THEY REALLY DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A TESTING POLICY. ALSO FOUND THE WALK AROUND BOTTLE ON SOME ACFT DOES NOT HAVE CORRECT FITTINGS FOR THE MASKS ABOARD. HAS FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH REPORTS TO AND MEETINGS WITH FLT MGR AND MAINT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.