A smoldering cigarette is discovered in a lavatory waste bin while aloft.

Attributes
ACN	254595
Time
Date	199310
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fco
State Reference	FO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : lirr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 17500 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	254595
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

A flight attendant was in the lavatory when the smoke detector sounded a very short beep. A passenger waiting then went in and thought he smelled smoke even though the alarm wasn't sounding. He insisted another flight attendant check it out. The flight attendant tested the alarm and it was ok and no longer giving a warning but to satisfy the disturbed passenger, the trash bin was emptied and a smoldering cigarette was found at the bottom. In the future my crews will always treat a smoke detector warning as the 'real thing.' they'll check it out while a second attendant stands by with fire extinguisher after the cockpit has been informed the 'procedure' is underway. This concerned passenger may have saved us all and he did teach us a very valid lesson.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SMOLDERING CIGARETTE IS DISCOVERED IN A LAVATORY WASTE BIN WHILE ALOFT.

Narrative: A FLT ATTENDANT WAS IN THE LAVATORY WHEN THE SMOKE DETECTOR SOUNDED A VERY SHORT BEEP. A PAX WAITING THEN WENT IN AND THOUGHT HE SMELLED SMOKE EVEN THOUGH THE ALARM WASN'T SOUNDING. HE INSISTED ANOTHER FLT ATTENDANT CHK IT OUT. THE FLT ATTENDANT TESTED THE ALARM AND IT WAS OK AND NO LONGER GIVING A WARNING BUT TO SATISFY THE DISTURBED PAX, THE TRASH BIN WAS EMPTIED AND A SMOLDERING CIGARETTE WAS FOUND AT THE BOTTOM. IN THE FUTURE MY CREWS WILL ALWAYS TREAT A SMOKE DETECTOR WARNING AS THE 'REAL THING.' THEY'LL CHK IT OUT WHILE A SECOND ATTENDANT STANDS BY WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER AFTER THE COCKPIT HAS BEEN INFORMED THE 'PROC' IS UNDERWAY. THIS CONCERNED PAX MAY HAVE SAVED US ALL AND HE DID TEACH US A VERY VALID LESSON.

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.