Narrative:

On a flight from den to pdx, our first flight attendant came into the cockpit to inform us that a row of oxygen masks fell on the left side. We stopped the climb and descended to 25000 ft from 30000 ft and looked at the MEL, ordinarily the 3 affected passenger would have been reseated and the row blocked off. However, every seat was filled including the jump seat (with an aci). Apparently the psu opened during the takeoff roll. The MEL refers to the automatic opening feature of the door latches on the psu -- if anything the automatic feature worked appreciably well, however, in my mind there was no way to determine if it was inoperative and thus the restrictions do not apply (we had no trouble getting the door to open). We phone patched the company system control and advised of our situation. The captain sent me back under direction of system control to restow the masks and close the door. The air carrier inspector accompanied me in this. The stowage went normally and the flight continued to destination without further event at FL350. As an added extra precaution the captain asked the flight attendant to get 3 portable O2 bottles and personally brief affected passenger. I suppose to be ultra-conservative we perhaps could have returned to den, but I seriously question the judgement of turning a heavy aircraft around for a return to origin. The risk of a high/hot landing, fuel dumping and the change of plan that effects every pilot's thoughts, to me it would be far riskier to return than to proceed with precautions taken. The aci asked me if I was a mechanic, implying that I was not able/authorized to perform the simple mask stowing task. It's not as if this was major maintenance! Aircraft cleaners have been known to drop entire system and restow without ever telling anyone.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON CLB OUT HAS 1 ROW OF OXYGEN MASKS DEPLOY.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM DEN TO PDX, OUR FIRST FA CAME INTO THE COCKPIT TO INFORM US THAT A ROW OF OXYGEN MASKS FELL ON THE L SIDE. WE STOPPED THE CLB AND DSNDED TO 25000 FT FROM 30000 FT AND LOOKED AT THE MEL, ORDINARILY THE 3 AFFECTED PAX WOULD HAVE BEEN RESEATED AND THE ROW BLOCKED OFF. HOWEVER, EVERY SEAT WAS FILLED INCLUDING THE JUMP SEAT (WITH AN ACI). APPARENTLY THE PSU OPENED DURING THE TKOF ROLL. THE MEL REFERS TO THE AUTOMATIC OPENING FEATURE OF THE DOOR LATCHES ON THE PSU -- IF ANYTHING THE AUTOMATIC FEATURE WORKED APPRECIABLY WELL, HOWEVER, IN MY MIND THERE WAS NO WAY TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS INOP AND THUS THE RESTRICTIONS DO NOT APPLY (WE HAD NO TROUBLE GETTING THE DOOR TO OPEN). WE PHONE PATCHED THE COMPANY SYSTEM CTL AND ADVISED OF OUR SITUATION. THE CAPT SENT ME BACK UNDER DIRECTION OF SYSTEM CTL TO RESTOW THE MASKS AND CLOSE THE DOOR. THE AIR CARRIER INSPECTOR ACCOMPANIED ME IN THIS. THE STOWAGE WENT NORMALLY AND THE FLT CONTINUED TO DEST WITHOUT FURTHER EVENT AT FL350. AS AN ADDED EXTRA PRECAUTION THE CAPT ASKED THE FA TO GET 3 PORTABLE O2 BOTTLES AND PERSONALLY BRIEF AFFECTED PAX. I SUPPOSE TO BE ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE WE PERHAPS COULD HAVE RETURNED TO DEN, BUT I SERIOUSLY QUESTION THE JUDGEMENT OF TURNING A HEAVY ACFT AROUND FOR A RETURN TO ORIGIN. THE RISK OF A HIGH/HOT LNDG, FUEL DUMPING AND THE CHANGE OF PLAN THAT EFFECTS EVERY PLT'S THOUGHTS, TO ME IT WOULD BE FAR RISKIER TO RETURN THAN TO PROCEED WITH PRECAUTIONS TAKEN. THE ACI ASKED ME IF I WAS A MECHANIC, IMPLYING THAT I WAS NOT ABLE/AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM THE SIMPLE MASK STOWING TASK. IT'S NOT AS IF THIS WAS MAJOR MAINT! ACFT CLEANERS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO DROP ENTIRE SYSTEM AND RESTOW WITHOUT EVER TELLING ANYONE.

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.