B747-400 cabin crew report strong odors and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning during preflight.

Attributes
ACN	720289
Time
Date	200610
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground other : boarding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
ASRS Report	720289
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
ASRS Report	720285
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During crew boarding I can smell a very strong unpleasant odor both in the jetway and the aircraft. Flight attendant X thought the aircraft must have been sprayed. I perform my preflight duties as usual and very soon start feeling a shortness of breath and nausea. I told flight attendant Y that I can feel an asthma attack coming. I used my inhaler and took an allergy tablet. Meanwhile flight attendants in cabin start developing symptoms such as irritation in the eyes; itchiness on the limbs and headache. I have the same symptoms plus skin rashes on my neck; chest and limbs. Purser X came to check on the crew and decided to report to crew control and when ignored requested a supervisor come onboard. We were briefed by the captain that there was a fuel leak from the APU and he suspected our symptoms to be carbon monoxide poisoning. He decided to have all the crews vacate the aircraft for 20 mins and crack the doors to air out the airplane. We went to the boarding area for some fresh air. Meanwhile captain decided to change equipment and the flight was delayed. I worked the flight but still experienced sore throat; headache; respiratory and skin allergies throughout the flight. I have to take maximum dosage of allergy medication. After the flight my sore throat and skin rashes persist until today.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 CABIN CREW RPT STRONG ODORS AND SYMPTOMS OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING DURING PREFLT.

Narrative: DURING CREW BOARDING I CAN SMELL A VERY STRONG UNPLEASANT ODOR BOTH IN THE JETWAY AND THE ACFT. FLT ATTENDANT X THOUGHT THE ACFT MUST HAVE BEEN SPRAYED. I PERFORM MY PREFLT DUTIES AS USUAL AND VERY SOON START FEELING A SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND NAUSEA. I TOLD FLT ATTENDANT Y THAT I CAN FEEL AN ASTHMA ATTACK COMING. I USED MY INHALER AND TOOK AN ALLERGY TABLET. MEANWHILE FLT ATTENDANTS IN CABIN START DEVELOPING SYMPTOMS SUCH AS IRRITATION IN THE EYES; ITCHINESS ON THE LIMBS AND HEADACHE. I HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS PLUS SKIN RASHES ON MY NECK; CHEST AND LIMBS. PURSER X CAME TO CHK ON THE CREW AND DECIDED TO REPORT TO CREW CTL AND WHEN IGNORED REQUESTED A SUPVR COME ONBOARD. WE WERE BRIEFED BY THE CAPT THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK FROM THE APU AND HE SUSPECTED OUR SYMPTOMS TO BE CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. HE DECIDED TO HAVE ALL THE CREWS VACATE THE ACFT FOR 20 MINS AND CRACK THE DOORS TO AIR OUT THE AIRPLANE. WE WENT TO THE BOARDING AREA FOR SOME FRESH AIR. MEANWHILE CAPT DECIDED TO CHANGE EQUIP AND THE FLT WAS DELAYED. I WORKED THE FLT BUT STILL EXPERIENCED SORE THROAT; HEADACHE; RESPIRATORY AND SKIN ALLERGIES THROUGHOUT THE FLT. I HAVE TO TAKE MAXIMUM DOSAGE OF ALLERGY MEDICATION. AFTER THE FLT MY SORE THROAT AND SKIN RASHES PERSIST UNTIL TODAY.

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.