Narrative:

I served as first officer and sic of air carrier X, a 767-200 operating from msy to atl. The captain handled the PF duties and I handed the PNF duties. We were cleared to make an ILS approach to runway 27L in atlanta. The landing environment was in sight before we reached the OM. Shortly after passing that point, we encountered moderate rain. I then activated the aircraft windshield wipers and asked the captain if he desired rain repellent. He replied in the affirmative. I then applied rain repellent to my windshield. After determining that the repellent was functioning properly, I applied it to the captain's windshield. Within a very short period of time, I began to smell a very strong citrus-like odor in the cockpit. The captain indicated that he, too, could smell the odor. I suddenly, and momentarily, felt very nauseous. This feeling was replaced with mild nausea. At no time did I feel the ability to complete my duties was jeopardized. After landing, I told the captain about what I assumed to be an adverse reaction to rain repellent. He indicated to me that he had not experienced similar symptoms. After being on the ground for about 5 mins, I experienced the sensation of heightened nerve ending sensitivity. This condition lasted for about 10 mins. Appropriate aircraft logbook entries were made. 2 mechanics told me that they had discovered a leak in the rain repellent line. 1 of these mechanics also reported suffering a headache that he believed to have been caused by the repellent. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he had informed the company about the incident. Reason he was aware of the odor and where it was coming from is the company has issued safety bulletins and is looking into another method of rain repellent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RAIN REPELLENT ODOR IN COCKPIT MAKES FLC SICK.

Narrative: I SERVED AS FO AND SIC OF ACR X, A 767-200 OPERATING FROM MSY TO ATL. THE CAPT HANDLED THE PF DUTIES AND I HANDED THE PNF DUTIES. WE WERE CLRED TO MAKE AN ILS APCH TO RWY 27L IN ATLANTA. THE LNDG ENVIRONMENT WAS IN SIGHT BEFORE WE REACHED THE OM. SHORTLY AFTER PASSING THAT POINT, WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE RAIN. I THEN ACTIVATED THE ACFT WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND ASKED THE CAPT IF HE DESIRED RAIN REPELLENT. HE REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. I THEN APPLIED RAIN REPELLENT TO MY WINDSHIELD. AFTER DETERMINING THAT THE REPELLENT WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, I APPLIED IT TO THE CAPT'S WINDSHIELD. WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, I BEGAN TO SMELL A VERY STRONG CITRUS-LIKE ODOR IN THE COCKPIT. THE CAPT INDICATED THAT HE, TOO, COULD SMELL THE ODOR. I SUDDENLY, AND MOMENTARILY, FELT VERY NAUSEOUS. THIS FEELING WAS REPLACED WITH MILD NAUSEA. AT NO TIME DID I FEEL THE ABILITY TO COMPLETE MY DUTIES WAS JEOPARDIZED. AFTER LNDG, I TOLD THE CAPT ABOUT WHAT I ASSUMED TO BE AN ADVERSE REACTION TO RAIN REPELLENT. HE INDICATED TO ME THAT HE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. AFTER BEING ON THE GND FOR ABOUT 5 MINS, I EXPERIENCED THE SENSATION OF HEIGHTENED NERVE ENDING SENSITIVITY. THIS CONDITION LASTED FOR ABOUT 10 MINS. APPROPRIATE ACFT LOGBOOK ENTRIES WERE MADE. 2 MECHS TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD DISCOVERED A LEAK IN THE RAIN REPELLENT LINE. 1 OF THESE MECHS ALSO RPTED SUFFERING A HEADACHE THAT HE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE REPELLENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED HE HAD INFORMED THE COMPANY ABOUT THE INCIDENT. REASON HE WAS AWARE OF THE ODOR AND WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM IS THE COMPANY HAS ISSUED SAFETY BULLETINS AND IS LOOKING INTO ANOTHER METHOD OF RAIN REPELLENT.

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.