Cabin smoke during taxi for takeoff. Passenger evacuation.

Attributes
ACN	135274
Time
Date	199001
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	135274
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 11
ASRS Report	135707
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During taxi for takeoff the cabin rapidly filled with smoke. Simultaneously the lavatory smoke detector alarm started going off in the cockpit and the right air conditioning pack over-heated and tripped. The evacuation checklist was initiated and all passenger were evacuated using the escape slides. Supplemental information from acn 135707: the smoke was probably associated with the #3 engine or right pack. I believe the decision to evacuate was prudent. The smoke was very thick, had a burning electrical odor, and amassed very quickly starting in the rear of the cabin. I also believe that having the cockpit door open during taxi was fortunate. There were no intercom communications with the F/a's (events happened in just a few seconds). With the door open, the captain was able to see exactly what was happening and communicate face-to-face with the F/a's. The evacuation went very well with no panic and only a few minor injuries. A few passenger attempted to retrieve luggage as they exited but other passenger and the F/a's stopped them from doing so.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN SMOKE DURING TAXI FOR TKOF. PASSENGER EVACUATION.

Narrative: DURING TAXI FOR TKOF THE CABIN RAPIDLY FILLED WITH SMOKE. SIMULTANEOUSLY THE LAVATORY SMOKE DETECTOR ALARM STARTED GOING OFF IN THE COCKPIT AND THE RIGHT AIR CONDITIONING PACK OVER-HEATED AND TRIPPED. THE EVACUATION CHECKLIST WAS INITIATED AND ALL PAX WERE EVACUATED USING THE ESCAPE SLIDES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 135707: THE SMOKE WAS PROBABLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE #3 ENGINE OR RIGHT PACK. I BELIEVE THE DECISION TO EVACUATE WAS PRUDENT. THE SMOKE WAS VERY THICK, HAD A BURNING ELECTRICAL ODOR, AND AMASSED VERY QUICKLY STARTING IN THE REAR OF THE CABIN. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT HAVING THE COCKPIT DOOR OPEN DURING TAXI WAS FORTUNATE. THERE WERE NO INTERCOM COMS WITH THE F/A'S (EVENTS HAPPENED IN JUST A FEW SECONDS). WITH THE DOOR OPEN, THE CAPT WAS ABLE TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND COMMUNICATE FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE F/A'S. THE EVACUATION WENT VERY WELL WITH NO PANIC AND ONLY A FEW MINOR INJURIES. A FEW PAX ATTEMPTED TO RETRIEVE LUGGAGE AS THEY EXITED BUT OTHER PAX AND THE F/A'S STOPPED THEM FROM DOING SO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.