Passenger detected smoking in the lav, but smoke detector did not activate.

Attributes
ACN	163812
Time
Date	199011
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fmm
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j64
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 15000
ASRS Report	163812
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

F/a informed me that a passenger had been caught smoking in the lav. Passenger did not deny the smoking, but denied that he had tampered with the smoke detector that did not sound an alarm. Smoke detectors are not reliable to detect cigarette smoking in lavs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PASSENGER DETECTED SMOKING IN THE LAV, BUT SMOKE DETECTOR DID NOT ACTIVATE.

Narrative: F/A INFORMED ME THAT A PAX HAD BEEN CAUGHT SMOKING IN THE LAV. PAX DID NOT DENY THE SMOKING, BUT DENIED THAT HE HAD TAMPERED WITH THE SMOKE DETECTOR THAT DID NOT SOUND AN ALARM. SMOKE DETECTORS ARE NOT RELIABLE TO DETECT CIGARETTE SMOKING IN LAVS.

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.