An A300 flight attendant reported that an unknown odor was causing distress to several passenger dur...

Attributes
ACN	607372
Time
Date	200401
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 4
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 14 flight attendant time total : 14 flight attendant time type : 25
ASRS Report	607372
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event : passenger illness other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 1
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

As we were taxiing out, and safety demonstration was playing, passenger seated in rows 9-20 complained to flight attendant #3 (the safety demonstration flight attendant) that they were experiencing eye irritation, as well as throat and bronchial irritation due to some odor coming from lower vents located by passenger seat leg areas, mainly on the aircraft's l-hand side. I noticed the passenger all standing, trying to get flight attendant #3's attention. So, I went to investigate. I tried to get a sense of the odor the passenger complained of. Unfortunately, I, too, inhaled the strong odor. It went straight into my bronchial tubes and felt like a burning sensation trapped in my lungs. Captain was notified immediately. My best description of the odor was it was similar to mace, tear gas, pepper spray -- 'that category.' first officer came out to investigate the cabin. We pulled off taxi line. Engines turned off. First officer suggested it might be deicing fluid. I don't think we were deiced that particular trip! Captain decided to call maintenance, who came in through cargo compartment. They, too, sensed the odor. It was not deicing fluid. I heard one maintenance man tell the other, code X?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A300 FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT AN UNKNOWN ODOR WAS CAUSING DISTRESS TO SEVERAL PAX DURING TAXI OUT FROM GATE AT JFK. ULTIMATELY, THE FLT WAS CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT ACFT.

Narrative: AS WE WERE TAXIING OUT, AND SAFETY DEMO WAS PLAYING, PAX SEATED IN ROWS 9-20 COMPLAINED TO FLT ATTENDANT #3 (THE SAFETY DEMO FLT ATTENDANT) THAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING EYE IRRITATION, AS WELL AS THROAT AND BRONCHIAL IRRITATION DUE TO SOME ODOR COMING FROM LOWER VENTS LOCATED BY PAX SEAT LEG AREAS, MAINLY ON THE ACFT'S L-HAND SIDE. I NOTICED THE PAX ALL STANDING, TRYING TO GET FLT ATTENDANT #3'S ATTN. SO, I WENT TO INVESTIGATE. I TRIED TO GET A SENSE OF THE ODOR THE PAX COMPLAINED OF. UNFORTUNATELY, I, TOO, INHALED THE STRONG ODOR. IT WENT STRAIGHT INTO MY BRONCHIAL TUBES AND FELT LIKE A BURNING SENSATION TRAPPED IN MY LUNGS. CAPT WAS NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY. MY BEST DESCRIPTION OF THE ODOR WAS IT WAS SIMILAR TO MACE, TEAR GAS, PEPPER SPRAY -- 'THAT CATEGORY.' FO CAME OUT TO INVESTIGATE THE CABIN. WE PULLED OFF TAXI LINE. ENGS TURNED OFF. FO SUGGESTED IT MIGHT BE DEICING FLUID. I DON'T THINK WE WERE DEICED THAT PARTICULAR TRIP! CAPT DECIDED TO CALL MAINT, WHO CAME IN THROUGH CARGO COMPARTMENT. THEY, TOO, SENSED THE ODOR. IT WAS NOT DEICING FLUID. I HEARD ONE MAINT MAN TELL THE OTHER, CODE X?

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.

An A300 flight attendant reported that an unknown odor was causing distress to several passenger during taxi out from gate at jfk. Ultimately, the flight was changed to a different aircraft.