A report on air conditioning pack problem. Cabin hot and hazy, with acrid smell.

Attributes
ACN	434389
Time
Date	199904
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	TX
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified
ASRS Report	434389
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier government : faa
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : turbulence other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was working aft forward from back galley. I noticed a burning smell. I checked ovens -- no odor or smoke. I checked galley again and the smell was strong. I went to the jump seat to call captain. There was no answer. I reset it, redialed, no answer. I looked up and saw a light white haze filling the cabin. Acrid smell. The captain came on PA and announced a problem with air conditioning pack and they were solving problem and everything under control. The temperature was extremely hot. People were red faced and fanning themselves. We hit a small period of bad turbulence at this time. We continued service. Landed safely. The aircraft should have been taxied to gate immediately and deplaned passenger. It was still very hot, but instead we were asked to situation 15 mins till our gate vacated. There were 3-4 planes ahead of us. The captain asked for a gate immediately and got another that was not apchable (carts in way). 3RD gate finally worked. This was the only real thing that wasn't handled properly. Maintenance met us and pulled airplane off schedule list for monday.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A RPT ON AIR CONDITIONING PACK PROB. CABIN HOT AND HAZY, WITH ACRID SMELL.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING AFT FORWARD FROM BACK GALLEY. I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. I CHKED OVENS -- NO ODOR OR SMOKE. I CHKED GALLEY AGAIN AND THE SMELL WAS STRONG. I WENT TO THE JUMP SEAT TO CALL CAPT. THERE WAS NO ANSWER. I RESET IT, REDIALED, NO ANSWER. I LOOKED UP AND SAW A LIGHT WHITE HAZE FILLING THE CABIN. ACRID SMELL. THE CAPT CAME ON PA AND ANNOUNCED A PROB WITH AIR CONDITIONING PACK AND THEY WERE SOLVING PROB AND EVERYTHING UNDER CTL. THE TEMP WAS EXTREMELY HOT. PEOPLE WERE RED FACED AND FANNING THEMSELVES. WE HIT A SMALL PERIOD OF BAD TURB AT THIS TIME. WE CONTINUED SVC. LANDED SAFELY. THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAXIED TO GATE IMMEDIATELY AND DEPLANED PAX. IT WAS STILL VERY HOT, BUT INSTEAD WE WERE ASKED TO SIT 15 MINS TILL OUR GATE VACATED. THERE WERE 3-4 PLANES AHEAD OF US. THE CAPT ASKED FOR A GATE IMMEDIATELY AND GOT ANOTHER THAT WAS NOT APCHABLE (CARTS IN WAY). 3RD GATE FINALLY WORKED. THIS WAS THE ONLY REAL THING THAT WASN'T HANDLED PROPERLY. MAINT MET US AND PULLED AIRPLANE OFF SCHEDULE LIST FOR MONDAY.

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.