Narrative:

After departing catalina island, a toxic smell coming from cabin. After about 3 mins, I (pilot) became nauseated and light headed. I tried to ventilate cockpit with storm window. I had to close it due to the noise and I was IMC on vectors to lgb ILS runway 30. I shot approach to 500 ft and landed. After landing, I released tail lock and lost control, went off runway and ground looped. I was dizzy and nauseated from the fumes. No damage on aircraft. If I could have done things better, I would have declared an emergency, but I didn't because I was on a vector for final to lgb. The toxic fumes came from an unlabeled shipping box that contained transmission fluid that broke open. I had to see a doctor as a result. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the fluid leaking from the box was diesel fuel from a diesel engine fuel control pump reservoir not drained prior to shipping. The reporter said she should have declared an emergency prior to landing as the light headed feeling was present and her throat was closing. The reporter stated the excursion from the runway and ground loop caused no damage to the aircraft. The reporter said all reports required on hazmat incidents were filed. The reporter stated that after landing she was seen by a physician but is not now under treatment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 3 MINS AFTER TKOF ON A 16 MIN IMC FLT, A SINGLE PLT OPERATING A BE18G18S BECAME NAUSEATED AND LIGHTHEADED DUE TO FUMES FROM AN UNLABELED BOX.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING CATALINA ISLAND, A TOXIC SMELL COMING FROM CABIN. AFTER ABOUT 3 MINS, I (PLT) BECAME NAUSEATED AND LIGHT HEADED. I TRIED TO VENTILATE COCKPIT WITH STORM WINDOW. I HAD TO CLOSE IT DUE TO THE NOISE AND I WAS IMC ON VECTORS TO LGB ILS RWY 30. I SHOT APCH TO 500 FT AND LANDED. AFTER LNDG, I RELEASED TAIL LOCK AND LOST CTL, WENT OFF RWY AND GND LOOPED. I WAS DIZZY AND NAUSEATED FROM THE FUMES. NO DAMAGE ON ACFT. IF I COULD HAVE DONE THINGS BETTER, I WOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER, BUT I DIDN'T BECAUSE I WAS ON A VECTOR FOR FINAL TO LGB. THE TOXIC FUMES CAME FROM AN UNLABELED SHIPPING BOX THAT CONTAINED TRANSMISSION FLUID THAT BROKE OPEN. I HAD TO SEE A DOCTOR AS A RESULT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE BOX WAS DIESEL FUEL FROM A DIESEL ENG FUEL CTL PUMP RESERVOIR NOT DRAINED PRIOR TO SHIPPING. THE RPTR SAID SHE SHOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER PRIOR TO LNDG AS THE LIGHT HEADED FEELING WAS PRESENT AND HER THROAT WAS CLOSING. THE RPTR STATED THE EXCURSION FROM THE RWY AND GND LOOP CAUSED NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE RPTR SAID ALL RPTS REQUIRED ON HAZMAT INCIDENTS WERE FILED. THE RPTR STATED THAT AFTER LNDG SHE WAS SEEN BY A PHYSICIAN BUT IS NOT NOW UNDER TREATMENT.

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.