 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
While taxiing out, strong sulfuric smell, followed by smoke, in cabin results in air carrier flight crew returning to gate. Aircraft passenger deplaned. Flight operated in different aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 436150 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199905 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : mia.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 436150 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine |
| ASRS Report | 436149 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other other : cab3 |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
We departed gate at XA44Z for taxi to runway 27L. Upon turning onto taxiway M, we were advised by the flight attendants of a strong acrid sulfur type smell in the rear of the cabin. Elected to return to the gate. We then received a further report of a very light smoke or haze in the cabin. A visual inspection of the cabin was made by the first officer from the cockpit, no smoke/haze was noted. The sulfur smell entered the cockpit through the open door and air gaspers. Ord tower asked if assistance was needed, and we asked for an arff/crash fire rescue equipment truck to follow us to the gate for safety. The return to the gate was deemed to be the safe and prudent course of action versus continuing for takeoff. A ground evacuate/evacuation was unwarranted. The smell seemed to dissipate as we returned to the gate. Passenger deplaned. Switched passenger/cargo to new aircraft, continued trip to sat.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WHILE TAXIING OUT, STRONG SULFURIC SMELL, FOLLOWED BY SMOKE, IN CABIN RESULTS IN ACR FLC RETURNING TO GATE. ACFT PAX DEPLANED. FLT OPERATED IN DIFFERENT ACFT.
Narrative: WE DEPARTED GATE AT XA44Z FOR TAXI TO RWY 27L. UPON TURNING ONTO TXWY M, WE WERE ADVISED BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS OF A STRONG ACRID SULFUR TYPE SMELL IN THE REAR OF THE CABIN. ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE GATE. WE THEN RECEIVED A FURTHER RPT OF A VERY LIGHT SMOKE OR HAZE IN THE CABIN. A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE CABIN WAS MADE BY THE FO FROM THE COCKPIT, NO SMOKE/HAZE WAS NOTED. THE SULFUR SMELL ENTERED THE COCKPIT THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR AND AIR GASPERS. ORD TWR ASKED IF ASSISTANCE WAS NEEDED, AND WE ASKED FOR AN ARFF/CFR TRUCK TO FOLLOW US TO THE GATE FOR SAFETY. THE RETURN TO THE GATE WAS DEEMED TO BE THE SAFE AND PRUDENT COURSE OF ACTION VERSUS CONTINUING FOR TKOF. A GND EVAC WAS UNWARRANTED. THE SMELL SEEMED TO DISSIPATE AS WE RETURNED TO THE GATE. PAX DEPLANED. SWITCHED PAX/CARGO TO NEW ACFT, CONTINUED TRIP TO SAT.
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.