<< >> NASA ASRS Report 281207, August 1994

Hazardous cargo problem. Airline notified of event by their in-house reporting system from the crew on the flight.

Attributes
ACN	281207
Time
Date	199408
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	281207
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Due to mr X's analytical thinking -- he averted what could have resulted in an aircraft fire and perhaps a major disaster. A passenger placed a large number of matches in a suitcase along with a phone book and numerous other flammable materials. The matches rubbed together and caught fire as the suitcase was being handled into the cargo bay. Apparently, the suitcase did not show visible signs of fire but felt warm as it was being loaded. It could have been dismissed as it was another hot day in orlando but he chose to investigate. It's a good thing he did because the beginning stages of a fire were discovered. Not only did mr X's actions save damage to other cargo, other passenger luggage, and the aircraft, but I feel that he may have saved the lives of the passenger and crew. Please give him our grateful and heartfelt thanks for a job well done.

Related reports:

• Flight crew notified of hazardous material aboard after take...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HAZARDOUS CARGO PROB. AIRLINE NOTIFIED OF EVENT BY THEIR IN-HOUSE RPTING SYS FROM THE CREW ON THE FLT.

Narrative: DUE TO MR X'S ANALYTICAL THINKING -- HE AVERTED WHAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACFT FIRE AND PERHAPS A MAJOR DISASTER. A PAX PLACED A LARGE NUMBER OF MATCHES IN A SUITCASE ALONG WITH A PHONE BOOK AND NUMEROUS OTHER FLAMMABLE MATERIALS. THE MATCHES RUBBED TOGETHER AND CAUGHT FIRE AS THE SUITCASE WAS BEING HANDLED INTO THE CARGO BAY. APPARENTLY, THE SUITCASE DID NOT SHOW VISIBLE SIGNS OF FIRE BUT FELT WARM AS IT WAS BEING LOADED. IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AS IT WAS ANOTHER HOT DAY IN ORLANDO BUT HE CHOSE TO INVESTIGATE. IT'S A GOOD THING HE DID BECAUSE THE BEGINNING STAGES OF A FIRE WERE DISCOVERED. NOT ONLY DID MR X'S ACTIONS SAVE DAMAGE TO OTHER CARGO, OTHER PAX LUGGAGE, AND THE ACFT, BUT I FEEL THAT HE MAY HAVE SAVED THE LIVES OF THE PAX AND CREW. PLEASE GIVE HIM OUR GRATEFUL AND HEARTFELT THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE.

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.