MD80 descends for a pressurization problem; masks drop and return to departure airport.

Attributes
ACN	699828
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
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 : 4
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 7.5 flight attendant time total : 7.5 flight attendant time type : 80
ASRS Report	699828
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was flight attendant #1; setting up the first class galley. I saw what looked like smoke coming from the oven. Turned off the oven and noticed the fog was in the whole galley. I heard several chimes and noticed my oxygen masks hanging from the forward jumpseat. Went directly to take oxygen. I put the mask to my face and sat in the jumpseat. I could not fasten the strap over my head; it was knotted. After taking oxygen for what seemed like several seconds; I made the decompression PA lifting my mask slightly (flight attendants #2 and #4 later told me that they could not hear the PA in the aft due to the loud noises). I could see the masks had fallen throughout the cabin and passenger had put them on. I remained seated due to the descent of the plane. I then began walking through the cabin to check passenger and saw flight attendants #2 and #4 were going through the cabin with oxygen walkarounds on. Flight attendants #2 and #4 told me all passenger said they were ok. Called back captain and told them everyone was ok. Captain said the landing would be normal and no evacuate/evacuation was necessary. Captain made prepare for landing PA. Landing was normal with no further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 DSNDS FOR A PRESSURIZATION PROB; MASKS DROP AND RETURN TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS FLT ATTENDANT #1; SETTING UP THE FIRST CLASS GALLEY. I SAW WHAT LOOKED LIKE SMOKE COMING FROM THE OVEN. TURNED OFF THE OVEN AND NOTICED THE FOG WAS IN THE WHOLE GALLEY. I HEARD SEVERAL CHIMES AND NOTICED MY OXYGEN MASKS HANGING FROM THE FORWARD JUMPSEAT. WENT DIRECTLY TO TAKE OXYGEN. I PUT THE MASK TO MY FACE AND SAT IN THE JUMPSEAT. I COULD NOT FASTEN THE STRAP OVER MY HEAD; IT WAS KNOTTED. AFTER TAKING OXYGEN FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE SEVERAL SECONDS; I MADE THE DECOMPRESSION PA LIFTING MY MASK SLIGHTLY (FLT ATTENDANTS #2 AND #4 LATER TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT HEAR THE PA IN THE AFT DUE TO THE LOUD NOISES). I COULD SEE THE MASKS HAD FALLEN THROUGHOUT THE CABIN AND PAX HAD PUT THEM ON. I REMAINED SEATED DUE TO THE DSCNT OF THE PLANE. I THEN BEGAN WALKING THROUGH THE CABIN TO CHK PAX AND SAW FLT ATTENDANTS #2 AND #4 WERE GOING THROUGH THE CABIN WITH OXYGEN WALKAROUNDS ON. FLT ATTENDANTS #2 AND #4 TOLD ME ALL PAX SAID THEY WERE OK. CALLED BACK CAPT AND TOLD THEM EVERYONE WAS OK. CAPT SAID THE LNDG WOULD BE NORMAL AND NO EVAC WAS NECESSARY. CAPT MADE PREPARE FOR LNDG PA. LNDG WAS NORMAL WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.