<< >> NASA ASRS Report 449282, September 1999

Flight crew of a super MD80 returned to the gate due to moisture dripping out of the cabin air vents during air conditioning operation.

Attributes
ACN	449282
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	449281
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event other maintenance problem : improper maintenance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin air vents other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Aircraft arrived at mia with an open E6 item regarding too much moisture output from cabin air conditioning ducts and vents. Mia maintenance did not relate to me what they had intended to do about correcting the problem if anything. 2 seat cushions were wet from H20 leakage from vents which also was in the E6. Agent reseated passenger to avert their being rained on. And I thought we were good to go. After engine start the increased moisture flow in the cabin and cockpit was not a safe way to dispatch the aircraft given the H20 leakage into cockpit circuit breaker panels so when maintenance came to the cockpit window at the gate to ask why we had returned, I stated that I wanted both H20 separators changed before I took the aircraft to lga. Miraculously another spare S80 was made ready at gate for our departure 40 mins later. Return to lga required en route deviations for WX which if cabin cooling was not adequate could have made many passenger sick due to the rough ride from tropical storm winds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A SUPER MD80 RETURNED TO THE GATE DUE TO MOISTURE DRIPPING OUT OF THE CABIN AIR VENTS DURING AIR CONDITIONING OP.

Narrative: ACFT ARRIVED AT MIA WITH AN OPEN E6 ITEM REGARDING TOO MUCH MOISTURE OUTPUT FROM CABIN AIR CONDITIONING DUCTS AND VENTS. MIA MAINT DID NOT RELATE TO ME WHAT THEY HAD INTENDED TO DO ABOUT CORRECTING THE PROB IF ANYTHING. 2 SEAT CUSHIONS WERE WET FROM H20 LEAKAGE FROM VENTS WHICH ALSO WAS IN THE E6. AGENT RESEATED PAX TO AVERT THEIR BEING RAINED ON. AND I THOUGHT WE WERE GOOD TO GO. AFTER ENG START THE INCREASED MOISTURE FLOW IN THE CABIN AND COCKPIT WAS NOT A SAFE WAY TO DISPATCH THE ACFT GIVEN THE H20 LEAKAGE INTO COCKPIT CIRCUIT BREAKER PANELS SO WHEN MAINT CAME TO THE COCKPIT WINDOW AT THE GATE TO ASK WHY WE HAD RETURNED, I STATED THAT I WANTED BOTH H20 SEPARATORS CHANGED BEFORE I TOOK THE ACFT TO LGA. MIRACULOUSLY ANOTHER SPARE S80 WAS MADE READY AT GATE FOR OUR DEP 40 MINS LATER. RETURN TO LGA REQUIRED ENRTE DEVS FOR WX WHICH IF CABIN COOLING WAS NOT ADEQUATE COULD HAVE MADE MANY PAX SICK DUE TO THE ROUGH RIDE FROM TROPICAL STORM WINDS.

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.