Narrative:

During taxi to gate, APU torched causing passenger to panic and effect an evacuate/evacuation of the aircraft on their own. Nothing the cabin or cockpit crew did could stop their evacuate/evacuation. Since there was a bright plume of flame for a short duration, the human survival instincts caused overwhelming survival responses (to flee) to overrule all other factors. From the intensity of the passenger panic, I started to think we really were on fire, even though we had no indications of sustained fire. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: confirmed that the APU on this type large transport is ducted below and perpendicular the passenger cabin, behind the wing on the starboard side. APU torching is common on this type, and provides a spectacular display for passenger, particularly at night. The cabin crew were unable to effect a reduction in panic level and were unable to prevent the evacuate/evacuation. A 6'1' fully uniformed company pilot, dead-heading in the passenger compartment was also unable to stop the spontaneous evacuate/evacuation, and was in fact bowled over by the panicked passenger. The evacuate/evacuation began at the overwing exits but spread to the rear entry door. A total of 37 passenger evacked before the flight crew stopped the aircraft and the panic was quelled. A # of passenger fell or jumped from the wing while the aircraft was moving, but miraculously injuries were confined to minor scrapes and bruises. 1 woman was a previous stroke victim and evacked via the read slide; she was taken to the hospital for observation. The FAA and the NTSB are investigating the incident, but the flight and cabin crew have apparently been absolved of any deviation in the incident. The FAA is apparently considering charges against the passenger who initiated the panic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT STARTS APU AFTER LNDG AT LGA. APU 'TORCHES,' CAUSING PASSENGERS TO PANIC AND INITIATE UNCONTROLLED OVERWING EVACUATION.

Narrative: DURING TAXI TO GATE, APU TORCHED CAUSING PAX TO PANIC AND EFFECT AN EVAC OF THE ACFT ON THEIR OWN. NOTHING THE CABIN OR COCKPIT CREW DID COULD STOP THEIR EVAC. SINCE THERE WAS A BRIGHT PLUME OF FLAME FOR A SHORT DURATION, THE HUMAN SURVIVAL INSTINCTS CAUSED OVERWHELMING SURVIVAL RESPONSES (TO FLEE) TO OVERRULE ALL OTHER FACTORS. FROM THE INTENSITY OF THE PAX PANIC, I STARTED TO THINK WE REALLY WERE ON FIRE, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD NO INDICATIONS OF SUSTAINED FIRE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CONFIRMED THAT THE APU ON THIS TYPE LGT IS DUCTED BELOW AND PERPENDICULAR THE PAX CABIN, BEHIND THE WING ON THE STARBOARD SIDE. APU TORCHING IS COMMON ON THIS TYPE, AND PROVIDES A SPECTACULAR DISPLAY FOR PAX, PARTICULARLY AT NIGHT. THE CABIN CREW WERE UNABLE TO EFFECT A REDUCTION IN PANIC LEVEL AND WERE UNABLE TO PREVENT THE EVAC. A 6'1' FULLY UNIFORMED COMPANY PLT, DEAD-HEADING IN THE PAX COMPARTMENT WAS ALSO UNABLE TO STOP THE SPONTANEOUS EVAC, AND WAS IN FACT BOWLED OVER BY THE PANICKED PAX. THE EVAC BEGAN AT THE OVERWING EXITS BUT SPREAD TO THE REAR ENTRY DOOR. A TOTAL OF 37 PAX EVACKED BEFORE THE FLT CREW STOPPED THE ACFT AND THE PANIC WAS QUELLED. A # OF PAX FELL OR JUMPED FROM THE WING WHILE THE ACFT WAS MOVING, BUT MIRACULOUSLY INJURIES WERE CONFINED TO MINOR SCRAPES AND BRUISES. 1 WOMAN WAS A PREVIOUS STROKE VICTIM AND EVACKED VIA THE READ SLIDE; SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR OBSERVATION. THE FAA AND THE NTSB ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT, BUT THE FLT AND CABIN CREW HAVE APPARENTLY BEEN ABSOLVED OF ANY DEVIATION IN THE INCIDENT. THE FAA IS APPARENTLY CONSIDERING CHARGES AGAINST THE PAX WHO INITIATED THE PANIC.

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.