Cabin attendant, B757, dfw-lax. Electrical burning smell. Aft lavatory, ceiling area. Emergency decl...

Attributes
ACN	476242
Time
Date	200005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zfw.artcc
State Reference	TX
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise : level descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 7
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 10 flight attendant time total : 10 flight attendant time type : 20
ASRS Report	476242
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : cab1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The problem as described to me (an electrical smell) was coming from the ceiling panel in the aft lavatory area. The captain told us to prepare for a possible emergency landing. My concern: when the agent opened the door, he asked passenger to stay on board. Firemen were waiting on the jetbridge to board. I believe the captain suggested to agent it might be better to let the passenger deplane. A little confusing, I thought. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that they did return to dallas, after taking off and reaching cruise altitude. The captain had them do the 15 min 'preparation for evacuate/evacuation' checklist for the passenger. She believes that when the agent opened the door, he should have asked for everyone to leave immediately, taking absolutely no carry-on items. As it was, the passenger got off slowly, gathering up all their belongings. Finally, the firefighters got impatient, and demanded that they get on, because a fire could have already been developing. The reporter says that if this happens again in the future, she would have the people get off as if they were in an evacuate/evacuation (without slides), so the exiting would have been faster. The plane was taken OTS to be checked out by maintenance, and they got on another plane and continued the trip without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT, B757, DFW-LAX. ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL. AFT LAVATORY, CEILING AREA. EMER DECLARED, PREPPED CABIN FOR EVAC. RETURN DALLAS. PLANE TAKEN OTS.

Narrative: THE PROB AS DESCRIBED TO ME (AN ELECTRICAL SMELL) WAS COMING FROM THE CEILING PANEL IN THE AFT LAVATORY AREA. THE CAPT TOLD US TO PREPARE FOR A POSSIBLE EMER LNDG. MY CONCERN: WHEN THE AGENT OPENED THE DOOR, HE ASKED PAX TO STAY ON BOARD. FIREMEN WERE WAITING ON THE JETBRIDGE TO BOARD. I BELIEVE THE CAPT SUGGESTED TO AGENT IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO LET THE PAX DEPLANE. A LITTLE CONFUSING, I THOUGHT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THEY DID RETURN TO DALLAS, AFTER TAKING OFF AND REACHING CRUISE ALT. THE CAPT HAD THEM DO THE 15 MIN 'PREPARATION FOR EVAC' CHKLIST FOR THE PAX. SHE BELIEVES THAT WHEN THE AGENT OPENED THE DOOR, HE SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR EVERYONE TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY, TAKING ABSOLUTELY NO CARRY-ON ITEMS. AS IT WAS, THE PAX GOT OFF SLOWLY, GATHERING UP ALL THEIR BELONGINGS. FINALLY, THE FIREFIGHTERS GOT IMPATIENT, AND DEMANDED THAT THEY GET ON, BECAUSE A FIRE COULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPING. THE RPTR SAYS THAT IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, SHE WOULD HAVE THE PEOPLE GET OFF AS IF THEY WERE IN AN EVAC (WITHOUT SLIDES), SO THE EXITING WOULD HAVE BEEN FASTER. THE PLANE WAS TAKEN OTS TO BE CHKED OUT BY MAINT, AND THEY GOT ON ANOTHER PLANE AND CONTINUED THE TRIP WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.

Cabin attendant, B757, dfw-lax. Electrical burning smell. Aft lavatory, ceiling area. Emergency declared, prepped cabin for evacuate/evacuation. Return dallas. Plane taken OTS.