A passenger warmed a military mre meal in-flight producing heat and hydrogen gas in the cabin.

Attributes
ACN	658271
Time
Date	200505
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zab.artcc
State Reference	CA
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
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
ASRS Report	658271
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger contraband cabin event other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

We were about 2 hours out of lax in cruise. Flight attendant called and said a passenger had his own meal that used a heat pack to warm the food. The heat pack was giving off hydrogen gas. I had a non rev captain in the jumpseat and sent him back to look at it. He wrapped the packs in towels and we secured them in the galley. I told dispatch. We then learned that it was a us military member with an mre that he was eating. I know the in-flight food was bad; but an mre? He said they were tasty. The problem was in-flight; a heat packet gives off hydrogen gas. He got in past security since it was plastic wrapped. We need to inform flight crews about this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PAX WARMED A MIL MRE MEAL INFLT PRODUCING HEAT AND HYDROGEN GAS IN THE CABIN.

Narrative: WE WERE ABOUT 2 HOURS OUT OF LAX IN CRUISE. FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND SAID A PAX HAD HIS OWN MEAL THAT USED A HEAT PACK TO WARM THE FOOD. THE HEAT PACK WAS GIVING OFF HYDROGEN GAS. I HAD A NON REV CAPT IN THE JUMPSEAT AND SENT HIM BACK TO LOOK AT IT. HE WRAPPED THE PACKS IN TOWELS AND WE SECURED THEM IN THE GALLEY. I TOLD DISPATCH. WE THEN LEARNED THAT IT WAS A US MILITARY MEMBER WITH AN MRE THAT HE WAS EATING. I KNOW THE INFLT FOOD WAS BAD; BUT AN MRE? HE SAID THEY WERE TASTY. THE PROB WAS INFLT; A HEAT PACKET GIVES OFF HYDROGEN GAS. HE GOT IN PAST SECURITY SINCE IT WAS PLASTIC WRAPPED. WE NEED TO INFORM FLT CREWS ABOUT THIS.

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.