2 oxygen masks dropped en route.

Attributes
ACN	284672
Time
Date	199410
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czqx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	284672
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Loss of oxygen mask automatic presentation. Oxygen masks dropped at seat. Oxygen was not activated, but since we are not authority/authorized to repack masks, we did not have automatic presentation of the masks at seats. We had a full load of passenger, so we could not reseat the passenger. This limits altitude to 30000 ft or less. On the nat rtes, this altitude restr would cost approximately 8000 pounds of fuel which would mean an en route landing to have the masks repacked and to refuel. I conferred with dispatch and technician and decided to use my authority/authorized to continue after ensuring that the passenger in seats understood the implications of the loss of automatic mask presentation. The passenger in seat was a pilot traveling with his wife. I recommend that we regain authority/authorized to repack and unwanted oxygen mask drop.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 OXYGEN MASKS DROPPED ENRTE.

Narrative: LOSS OF OXYGEN MASK AUTOMATIC PRESENTATION. OXYGEN MASKS DROPPED AT SEAT. OXYGEN WAS NOT ACTIVATED, BUT SINCE WE ARE NOT AUTH TO REPACK MASKS, WE DID NOT HAVE AUTOMATIC PRESENTATION OF THE MASKS AT SEATS. WE HAD A FULL LOAD OF PAX, SO WE COULD NOT RESEAT THE PAX. THIS LIMITS ALT TO 30000 FT OR LESS. ON THE NAT RTES, THIS ALT RESTR WOULD COST APPROX 8000 LBS OF FUEL WHICH WOULD MEAN AN ENRTE LNDG TO HAVE THE MASKS REPACKED AND TO REFUEL. I CONFERRED WITH DISPATCH AND TECHNICIAN AND DECIDED TO USE MY AUTH TO CONTINUE AFTER ENSURING THAT THE PAX IN SEATS UNDERSTOOD THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE LOSS OF AUTOMATIC MASK PRESENTATION. THE PAX IN SEAT WAS A PLT TRAVELING WITH HIS WIFE. I RECOMMEND THAT WE REGAIN AUTH TO REPACK AND UNWANTED OXYGEN MASK DROP.

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.