Narrative:

Diversion due to hazardous cargo spill. Shortly after reaching cruise altitude (FL390) on flight from dfw to sfo, the first officer noticed a paint-like odor. Approximately 5 mins later, I also began to notice the odor. The first officer put on his oxygen mask and advised the 3 jumpseaters to do likewise. The odor became stronger and my eyes began to burn. Although not advisable, I sent to the cargo area where the hazardous articles were located. I noticed a significant spill area on the aft part of the pallet located in position L2. Several 50 gallon containers of hazardous material had shifted position (possibly during takeoff) and were no longer upright (as they were during the first officer's inspection of the hazardous material during preflight). The label on the container advised removal of the container to fresh air in the event of spillage and check by physician if eyes exposed to vapors for more than 15 mins. Under the existing conditions, I felt landing as soon as possible would be the correct action. We consequently diverted to abq (100 mi ahead, clear WX, long runway, and company personnel available), and landed without incident. Upon inspection it was discovered that one of the bottom containers had been crushed and the spillage from this container had contaminated other bay materials. All affected cargo (2930 pounds) was removed from the aircraft and the flight proceeded to sfo.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HAZARDOUS CARGO PROB. ACR CREW FIRST SMELLS FUMES THEN SEES A LEAK, THEN DIVERTS AND LANDS.

Narrative: DIVERSION DUE TO HAZARDOUS CARGO SPILL. SHORTLY AFTER REACHING CRUISE ALT (FL390) ON FLT FROM DFW TO SFO, THE FO NOTICED A PAINT-LIKE ODOR. APPROX 5 MINS LATER, I ALSO BEGAN TO NOTICE THE ODOR. THE FO PUT ON HIS OXYGEN MASK AND ADVISED THE 3 JUMPSEATERS TO DO LIKEWISE. THE ODOR BECAME STRONGER AND MY EYES BEGAN TO BURN. ALTHOUGH NOT ADVISABLE, I SENT TO THE CARGO AREA WHERE THE HAZARDOUS ARTICLES WERE LOCATED. I NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT SPILL AREA ON THE AFT PART OF THE PALLET LOCATED IN POS L2. SEVERAL 50 GALLON CONTAINERS OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL HAD SHIFTED POS (POSSIBLY DURING TKOF) AND WERE NO LONGER UPRIGHT (AS THEY WERE DURING THE FO'S INSPECTION OF THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL DURING PREFLT). THE LABEL ON THE CONTAINER ADVISED REMOVAL OF THE CONTAINER TO FRESH AIR IN THE EVENT OF SPILLAGE AND CHK BY PHYSICIAN IF EYES EXPOSED TO VAPORS FOR MORE THAN 15 MINS. UNDER THE EXISTING CONDITIONS, I FELT LNDG ASAP WOULD BE THE CORRECT ACTION. WE CONSEQUENTLY DIVERTED TO ABQ (100 MI AHEAD, CLR WX, LONG RWY, AND COMPANY PERSONNEL AVAILABLE), AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF THE BOTTOM CONTAINERS HAD BEEN CRUSHED AND THE SPILLAGE FROM THIS CONTAINER HAD CONTAMINATED OTHER BAY MATERIALS. ALL AFFECTED CARGO (2930 LBS) WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACFT AND THE FLT PROCEEDED TO SFO.

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.