B737-300 cabin attendant inadvertently opened the lavatory drain valve when attempting to direct hot...

Attributes
ACN	496610
Time
Date	200101
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bna.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 7200
ASRS Report	496610
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 5
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Cabin Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

En route from bna-ont in the vicinity of mem, a flight attendant informed me we had no potable water, and that we had left bna with a full tank. I had some concern about ice buildup, but noticed no change in flight characteristics. I could only speculate that we had left with almost no water and a faulty gauge, or we had an open or faulty valve. I considered calling dispatch en route, but elected not to report the problem until I was in range, as I believed they would have me take no further course of action than to continue to ont. If we had an open valve, I hoped that the water drained on taxi and climb out. Calling in-range to ont, I asked if they could check for an open valve. After landing, I went out and observed a small accumulation of ice on the tailcone. The valves were in the closed position. After filling the tank, water started to drain. I was talking to maintenance when one of the rampers told me the purge valve in aft lavatory had been left open. I am ashamed to admit that I had forgotten about that valve. I can only speculate it was left open in bdl, where the aircraft originated. It is possible a flight attendant opened it after I asked if we had hot water in the lavatories, we the wash prior, the water heaters had been left off on the same flight. We did have hot water, and when he informed me about the loss of water, I asked him if we did anything back there, and he said no. About 15 mins after arrival, the operations agent told me the tower had called because someone had reported a chunk of ice had hit their roof. Tower believed it could have been from my aircraft or another one. I believe I probably should have called dispatch en route to give them a heads up to a potential problem. I suppose that one way to prevent this from happening again would be to have either the pilots or flight attendants include checking the valves in the lavatory closed on an originator.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CABIN ATTENDANT INADVERTENTLY OPENED THE LAVATORY DRAIN VALVE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DIRECT HOT WATER TO THE LAVATORY RESULTING IN A CHUNK OF ICE FALLING ON A PUBLIC RESIDENCE SOON AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM BNA-ONT IN THE VICINITY OF MEM, A FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED ME WE HAD NO POTABLE WATER, AND THAT WE HAD LEFT BNA WITH A FULL TANK. I HAD SOME CONCERN ABOUT ICE BUILDUP, BUT NOTICED NO CHANGE IN FLT CHARACTERISTICS. I COULD ONLY SPECULATE THAT WE HAD LEFT WITH ALMOST NO WATER AND A FAULTY GAUGE, OR WE HAD AN OPEN OR FAULTY VALVE. I CONSIDERED CALLING DISPATCH ENRTE, BUT ELECTED NOT TO RPT THE PROB UNTIL I WAS IN RANGE, AS I BELIEVED THEY WOULD HAVE ME TAKE NO FURTHER COURSE OF ACTION THAN TO CONTINUE TO ONT. IF WE HAD AN OPEN VALVE, I HOPED THAT THE WATER DRAINED ON TAXI AND CLBOUT. CALLING IN-RANGE TO ONT, I ASKED IF THEY COULD CHK FOR AN OPEN VALVE. AFTER LNDG, I WENT OUT AND OBSERVED A SMALL ACCUMULATION OF ICE ON THE TAILCONE. THE VALVES WERE IN THE CLOSED POS. AFTER FILLING THE TANK, WATER STARTED TO DRAIN. I WAS TALKING TO MAINT WHEN ONE OF THE RAMPERS TOLD ME THE PURGE VALVE IN AFT LAVATORY HAD BEEN LEFT OPEN. I AM ASHAMED TO ADMIT THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT VALVE. I CAN ONLY SPECULATE IT WAS LEFT OPEN IN BDL, WHERE THE ACFT ORIGINATED. IT IS POSSIBLE A FLT ATTENDANT OPENED IT AFTER I ASKED IF WE HAD HOT WATER IN THE LAVATORIES, WE THE WASH PRIOR, THE WATER HEATERS HAD BEEN LEFT OFF ON THE SAME FLT. WE DID HAVE HOT WATER, AND WHEN HE INFORMED ME ABOUT THE LOSS OF WATER, I ASKED HIM IF WE DID ANYTHING BACK THERE, AND HE SAID NO. ABOUT 15 MINS AFTER ARR, THE OPS AGENT TOLD ME THE TWR HAD CALLED BECAUSE SOMEONE HAD RPTED A CHUNK OF ICE HAD HIT THEIR ROOF. TWR BELIEVED IT COULD HAVE BEEN FROM MY ACFT OR ANOTHER ONE. I BELIEVE I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE CALLED DISPATCH ENRTE TO GIVE THEM A HEADS UP TO A POTENTIAL PROB. I SUPPOSE THAT ONE WAY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN WOULD BE TO HAVE EITHER THE PLTS OR FLT ATTENDANTS INCLUDE CHKING THE VALVES IN THE LAVATORY CLOSED ON AN ORIGINATOR.

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.

B737-300 cabin attendant inadvertently opened the lavatory drain valve when attempting to direct hot water to the lavatory resulting in a chunk of ice falling on a public residence soon after takeoff.