Flight attendants on a polar B777-200 flight complained of headaches during flight; possibly in an o...

Attributes
ACN	647255
Time
Date	200502
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzzz.artcc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc tower : abq.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	647255
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Weather
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Flight attendant called to cockpit to report that she and several other flight attendants were complaining of headaches and dizziness. She thought that the air quality was possibly the problem; and that the aircraft seemed to be yawing more than was normal. I told her that we would increase fresh air for them. We turned off the recirculation fans for 10 or 15 mins. I called her again after 20 mins to see if they were feeling better. They told me that the headaches were still there. We continued to cycle the recirculation fans for the next couple of hours. I also asked our dispatcher if he could find out what kind of cargo we may have that could cause such problems. He did and reported that we did not have any cargo. The flight attendants reported feeling somewhat better after about 2 hours; although they continued to feel that the aircraft was excessively banking or yawing. I walked back through the airplane; and it did not appear to be any more than usual. The aircraft does have more motion in the aft than we feel up in forward cockpit. In retrospect; I believe that we may have been in an area of ozone. I did have a slight headache myself; but this is normal for me when on the back side of body clock. No passenger complained of these symptoms.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANTS ON A POLAR B777-200 FLT COMPLAINED OF HEADACHES DURING FLT; POSSIBLY IN AN OZONE LAYER.

Narrative: FLT ATTENDANT CALLED TO COCKPIT TO RPT THAT SHE AND SEVERAL OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS WERE COMPLAINING OF HEADACHES AND DIZZINESS. SHE THOUGHT THAT THE AIR QUALITY WAS POSSIBLY THE PROB; AND THAT THE ACFT SEEMED TO BE YAWING MORE THAN WAS NORMAL. I TOLD HER THAT WE WOULD INCREASE FRESH AIR FOR THEM. WE TURNED OFF THE RECIRCULATION FANS FOR 10 OR 15 MINS. I CALLED HER AGAIN AFTER 20 MINS TO SEE IF THEY WERE FEELING BETTER. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE HEADACHES WERE STILL THERE. WE CONTINUED TO CYCLE THE RECIRCULATION FANS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HRS. I ALSO ASKED OUR DISPATCHER IF HE COULD FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF CARGO WE MAY HAVE THAT COULD CAUSE SUCH PROBS. HE DID AND RPTED THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ANY CARGO. THE FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED FEELING SOMEWHAT BETTER AFTER ABOUT 2 HRS; ALTHOUGH THEY CONTINUED TO FEEL THAT THE ACFT WAS EXCESSIVELY BANKING OR YAWING. I WALKED BACK THROUGH THE AIRPLANE; AND IT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY MORE THAN USUAL. THE ACFT DOES HAVE MORE MOTION IN THE AFT THAN WE FEEL UP IN FORWARD COCKPIT. IN RETROSPECT; I BELIEVE THAT WE MAY HAVE BEEN IN AN AREA OF OZONE. I DID HAVE A SLIGHT HEADACHE MYSELF; BUT THIS IS NORMAL FOR ME WHEN ON THE BACK SIDE OF BODY CLOCK. NO PAX COMPLAINED OF THESE SYMPTOMS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Flight attendants on a polar B777-200 flight complained of headaches during flight; possibly in an ozone layer.