<< >> NASA ASRS Report 652904, March 2005

A B767-300 cabin attendant reports 1 hour prior to landing a strong unpleasant odor appeared which gradually spread to the aft cabin.

Attributes
ACN	652904
Time
Date	200503
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 3
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 17 flight attendant time total : 17 flight attendant time type : 50
ASRS Report	652904
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Some time after departure; some flight attendants noted a strong odor in the forward part of main cabin; especially close to the mid galley area. There was no smoke or fire; just a strong unpleasant odor; which gradually spread toward the aft section of the main cabin. Approximately 1 hour prior to landing and at the beginning of descent; the odor got noticeably stronger; more acrid and pungent. It seemed stronger near the mid galley area around rows the window exits. The odor continued after deplaning in ZZZ. When cabin cleaning crew came on; they left after 5 or so mins claiming the odor was making them sick; with watering; irritated eyes and burning nostrils. Mechanics came on to diagnose the problem and resolve it; indicating that some kind of oil had leaked into an area where it should not have; and that it had to be burned off by raising the cabin temperature.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 CABIN ATTENDANT RPTS 1 HR PRIOR TO LNDG A STRONG UNPLEASANT ODOR APPEARED WHICH GRADUALLY SPREAD TO THE AFT CABIN.

Narrative: SOME TIME AFTER DEP; SOME FLT ATTENDANTS NOTED A STRONG ODOR IN THE FORWARD PART OF MAIN CABIN; ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO THE MID GALLEY AREA. THERE WAS NO SMOKE OR FIRE; JUST A STRONG UNPLEASANT ODOR; WHICH GRADUALLY SPREAD TOWARD THE AFT SECTION OF THE MAIN CABIN. APPROX 1 HR PRIOR TO LNDG AND AT THE BEGINNING OF DSCNT; THE ODOR GOT NOTICEABLY STRONGER; MORE ACRID AND PUNGENT. IT SEEMED STRONGER NEAR THE MID GALLEY AREA AROUND ROWS THE WINDOW EXITS. THE ODOR CONTINUED AFTER DEPLANING IN ZZZ. WHEN CABIN CLEANING CREW CAME ON; THEY LEFT AFTER 5 OR SO MINS CLAIMING THE ODOR WAS MAKING THEM SICK; WITH WATERING; IRRITATED EYES AND BURNING NOSTRILS. MECHS CAME ON TO DIAGNOSE THE PROB AND RESOLVE IT; INDICATING THAT SOME KIND OF OIL HAD LEAKED INTO AN AREA WHERE IT SHOULD NOT HAVE; AND THAT IT HAD TO BE BURNED OFF BY RAISING THE CABIN TEMP.

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.