A fokker 100 while taxiing for takeoff returns to the gate due to aft cabin attendant report of tick...

Attributes
ACN	531360
Time
Date	200110
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Weather Elements	other
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 1 flight attendant time total : 1
ASRS Report	531360
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : person 1
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While doing my final lavatory check before taking my jumpseat. I heard a unusual ticking noise from the aft lav, aircraft left. I immediately check the toilet to see if the flap inside was moving, it was not so I called flight attendant #1 advised her to tell the captain that there was an unusual ticking noise in the lav aircraft left. I then asked a non-rev crew member to come to the back to see if she could identify the noise. By this time the ticking sound had gotten louder. I then informed the captain that the sound was coming from behind the paper supply panel. I pulled the supplies out and noticed a blue spark with each tick. The captain returned to the gate and called maintenance. I was informed that the problem was a malfunction with the ignitor control box. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated during taxi for takeoff she heard what appeared to be a loud ticking in the aft left lav. The reporter said she went into the lavatory and located the ticking from behind the towel and paper supply compartment. The reporter stated when opening the compartment and looking aft she observed blue flashes or sparks. The reporter said the first flight attendant was advised to alert the captain and return to the gate. The reporter said maintenance found the ignitor unit located aft of the towel and paper compartment defective and was replaced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FOKKER 100 WHILE TAXIING FOR TKOF RETURNS TO THE GATE DUE TO AFT CAB RPT OF TICKING IN AFT LAV. CAUSED BY HIGH TENSION IGNITION LEAD ARCING.

Narrative: WHILE DOING MY FINAL LAVATORY CHK BEFORE TAKING MY JUMPSEAT. I HEARD A UNUSUAL TICKING NOISE FROM THE AFT LAV, ACFT LEFT. I IMMEDIATELY CHK THE TOILET TO SEE IF THE FLAP INSIDE WAS MOVING, IT WAS NOT SO I CALLED FA #1 ADVISED HER TO TELL THE CAPT THAT THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL TICKING NOISE IN THE LAV ACFT LEFT. I THEN ASKED A NON-REV CREW MEMBER TO COME TO THE BACK TO SEE IF SHE COULD IDENT THE NOISE. BY THIS TIME THE TICKING SOUND HAD GOTTEN LOUDER. I THEN INFORMED THE CAPT THAT THE SOUND WAS COMING FROM BEHIND THE PAPER SUPPLY PANEL. I PULLED THE SUPPLIES OUT AND NOTICED A BLUE SPARK WITH EACH TICK. THE CAPT RETURNED TO THE GATE AND CALLED MAINT. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROB WAS A MALFUNCTION WITH THE IGNITOR CTL BOX. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED DURING TAXI FOR TKOF SHE HEARD WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LOUD TICKING IN THE AFT LEFT LAV. THE RPTR SAID SHE WENT INTO THE LAVATORY AND LOCATED THE TICKING FROM BEHIND THE TOWEL AND PAPER SUPPLY COMPARTMENT. THE RPTR STATED WHEN OPENING THE COMPARTMENT AND LOOKING AFT SHE OBSERVED BLUE FLASHES OR SPARKS. THE RPTR SAID THE FIRST FA WAS ADVISED TO ALERT THE CAPT AND RETURN TO THE GATE. THE RPTR SAID MAINT FOUND THE IGNITOR UNIT LOCATED AFT OF THE TOWEL AND PAPER COMPARTMENT DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED.

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.

A fokker 100 while taxiing for takeoff returns to the gate due to aft cabin attendant report of ticking in aft lav. Caused by high tension ignition lead arcing.