An MD80 parked at gate with passenger and crew had leaking hydraulic fluid enter the operating APU a...

Attributes
ACN	395779
Time
Date	199802
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
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 : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	395779
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I believe the spilled or leaked hydraulic fluid from the previous inbound flight was being sucked into the cabin from the APU. There was a strong sweet acetone smell in the rear of the cabin, mostly in the galley area. Passenger were noticing and complaining. We reported it to the captain. He called mechanics on and we deplaned passenger. The 3 flight attendants and 4 passenger were taken to the hospital for tests. I understand the plane was taken OTS for a while and tested. I understand that 3 air carrier management personnel put more hydraulic fluid in the overflow cup and started the APU and sat there. This would lead me to believe that the seats, rug and entire aircraft was contaminated. I don't know how it came back on line, it is back. You may have heard this problem has been ongoing on our old MD80's with hydraulic leakage problems. Our union is desperately trying to convince the company that there is a problem. These aircraft need to be fixed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated this is a problem that has been going on for a long time and still nothing is being done to correct the ingestion of hydraulic fluid into the APU. The reporter said this was the reporter's first experience of fumes in the cabin, but other flight attendants have had direct exposure to these fumes several times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 PARKED AT GATE WITH PAX AND CREW HAD LEAKING HYD FLUID ENTER THE OPERATING APU AIR INLET AND FILL THE PAX CABIN WITH ACRID FUMES.

Narrative: I BELIEVE THE SPILLED OR LEAKED HYD FLUID FROM THE PREVIOUS INBOUND FLT WAS BEING SUCKED INTO THE CABIN FROM THE APU. THERE WAS A STRONG SWEET ACETONE SMELL IN THE REAR OF THE CABIN, MOSTLY IN THE GALLEY AREA. PAX WERE NOTICING AND COMPLAINING. WE RPTED IT TO THE CAPT. HE CALLED MECHS ON AND WE DEPLANED PAX. THE 3 FLT ATTENDANTS AND 4 PAX WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TESTS. I UNDERSTAND THE PLANE WAS TAKEN OTS FOR A WHILE AND TESTED. I UNDERSTAND THAT 3 ACR MGMNT PERSONNEL PUT MORE HYD FLUID IN THE OVERFLOW CUP AND STARTED THE APU AND SAT THERE. THIS WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE SEATS, RUG AND ENTIRE ACFT WAS CONTAMINATED. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT CAME BACK ON LINE, IT IS BACK. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THIS PROB HAS BEEN ONGOING ON OUR OLD MD80'S WITH HYD LEAKAGE PROBS. OUR UNION IS DESPERATELY TRYING TO CONVINCE THE COMPANY THAT THERE IS A PROB. THESE ACFT NEED TO BE FIXED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THIS IS A PROB THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME AND STILL NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO CORRECT THE INGESTION OF HYD FLUID INTO THE APU. THE RPTR SAID THIS WAS THE RPTR'S FIRST EXPERIENCE OF FUMES IN THE CABIN, BUT OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS HAVE HAD DIRECT EXPOSURE TO THESE FUMES SEVERAL TIMES.

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.

An MD80 parked at gate with passenger and crew had leaking hydraulic fluid enter the operating APU air inlet and fill the passenger cabin with acrid fumes.