Narrative:

Flight attendant came into cockpit and reported a bottle of insecticide had been brought onto aircraft in a shopping bag, had been stowed in overhead and some leakage had occurred. During clean-up, several passenger appeared and/or reported feeling ill. We diverted to chs and requested paramedics. Several passenger treated. Maintenance inspected area and signed release. All passenger continued to lga. Passenger who brought insecticide on board claimed he told pbi security what was in bottle and was cleared. Was he protecting himself, or is it possible security needs improvement? While in chs, I received a call from someone claiming to be FAA. I explained I couldn't talk about incident over telephone (was he with media?). Before pushback from chs, tower seemed to verify his identity, and requested a report within 10 days. I was willing to give proper authorities any pertinent information, but it must be apparent we must be careful who we talk to. Also, my primary responsibility must be to caring for my passenger, crew, and aircraft. I believe we did everything by the book. But would inspection by hazardous ground authority have been appropriate?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX CARRIES INSECTICIDE ABOARD WHICH LEAKS CAUSING CREW TO DIVERT TO CHS FOR MEDICAL AND MECHANICAL SVCS.

Narrative: FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO COCKPIT AND RPTED A BOTTLE OF INSECTICIDE HAD BEEN BROUGHT ONTO ACFT IN A SHOPPING BAG, HAD BEEN STOWED IN OVERHEAD AND SOME LEAKAGE HAD OCCURRED. DURING CLEAN-UP, SEVERAL PAX APPEARED AND/OR RPTED FEELING ILL. WE DIVERTED TO CHS AND REQUESTED PARAMEDICS. SEVERAL PAX TREATED. MAINT INSPECTED AREA AND SIGNED RELEASE. ALL PAX CONTINUED TO LGA. PAX WHO BROUGHT INSECTICIDE ON BOARD CLAIMED HE TOLD PBI SECURITY WHAT WAS IN BOTTLE AND WAS CLRED. WAS HE PROTECTING HIMSELF, OR IS IT POSSIBLE SECURITY NEEDS IMPROVEMENT? WHILE IN CHS, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM SOMEONE CLAIMING TO BE FAA. I EXPLAINED I COULDN'T TALK ABOUT INCIDENT OVER TELEPHONE (WAS HE WITH MEDIA?). BEFORE PUSHBACK FROM CHS, TWR SEEMED TO VERIFY HIS IDENTITY, AND REQUESTED A RPT WITHIN 10 DAYS. I WAS WILLING TO GIVE PROPER AUTHORITIES ANY PERTINENT INFO, BUT IT MUST BE APPARENT WE MUST BE CAREFUL WHO WE TALK TO. ALSO, MY PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY MUST BE TO CARING FOR MY PAX, CREW, AND ACFT. I BELIEVE WE DID EVERYTHING BY THE BOOK. BUT WOULD INSPECTION BY HAZARDOUS GND AUTHORITY HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE?

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.