An MD80 air carrier flight crew reports that their cabin attendants smelled fumes of undermined origin while in-flight and one of them became ill. Other personnel onboard were unable to smell the fumes and the cabin attendants later reported that the fumes had, apparently, dissipated. The #1 cabin attendant was medically checked after the flight.

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Attributes
ACN	372139
Time
Date	199706
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ind
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid tower : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	372139
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After leveloff in cruise, flight attendants reported smelling fumes when they entered cockpit. We opened cockpit door to mix in fresh (non smelling) air from cabin. Also descended to FL260 to lower cabin altitude. Flight attendant #1 became sick and went to situation down in coach away from fumes. Captain and first officer used oxygen masks as a precaution even though we barely could detect any smell and noticed no ill effects. Flight attendants #2 and #3 said they were feeling light headed. Was considering landing. I invited a non revenue pilot from first class into cockpit. He could not detect any odor or ill effects, nor could I. Flight attendant #1 reported she was pregnant and that may have contributed to her being sick. #2 and #3 then reported feeling better. Captain and first officer remained on oxygen as a precaution even though we could not detect any further problem. After landing wrote up airplane for fumes and sent flight attendant #1 to medical for examination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 ACR FLC RPTS THAT THEIR CABIN ATTENDANTS SMELLED FUMES OF UNDERMINED ORIGIN WHILE INFLT AND ONE OF THEM BECAME ILL. OTHER PERSONNEL ONBOARD WERE UNABLE TO SMELL THE FUMES AND THE CABIN ATTENDANTS LATER RPTED THAT THE FUMES HAD, APPARENTLY, DISSIPATED. THE #1 CABIN ATTENDANT WAS MEDICALLY CHKED AFTER THE FLT.

Narrative: AFTER LEVELOFF IN CRUISE, FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED SMELLING FUMES WHEN THEY ENTERED COCKPIT. WE OPENED COCKPIT DOOR TO MIX IN FRESH (NON SMELLING) AIR FROM CABIN. ALSO DSNDED TO FL260 TO LOWER CABIN ALT. FLT ATTENDANT #1 BECAME SICK AND WENT TO SIT DOWN IN COACH AWAY FROM FUMES. CAPT AND FO USED OXYGEN MASKS AS A PRECAUTION EVEN THOUGH WE BARELY COULD DETECT ANY SMELL AND NOTICED NO ILL EFFECTS. FLT ATTENDANTS #2 AND #3 SAID THEY WERE FEELING LIGHT HEADED. WAS CONSIDERING LNDG. I INVITED A NON REVENUE PLT FROM FIRST CLASS INTO COCKPIT. HE COULD NOT DETECT ANY ODOR OR ILL EFFECTS, NOR COULD I. FLT ATTENDANT #1 RPTED SHE WAS PREGNANT AND THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO HER BEING SICK. #2 AND #3 THEN RPTED FEELING BETTER. CAPT AND FO REMAINED ON OXYGEN AS A PRECAUTION EVEN THOUGH WE COULD NOT DETECT ANY FURTHER PROB. AFTER LNDG WROTE UP AIRPLANE FOR FUMES AND SENT FLT ATTENDANT #1 TO MEDICAL FOR EXAM.

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.