A B737-700 was de-iced while the air conditioning packs were operating. Aircraft contaminated with d...

Attributes
ACN	723802
Time
Date	200701
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	723802
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : left and right pacjk indications other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I had just finished de-icing an aircraft; which departed; when I realized that the tow aircraft on the other side of the terminal had sat through the snow event we just encountered. I knew it sat on the ground for a period of time prior to departure. I decided to de-ice the aircraft while it had some ground time. I was driving the truck and made the decision to de-ice aircraft. During the de-ice operation; we noticed the APU was in operation. This is normal for any de-ice operation. What we didn't know was that the packs were running. It is normal for crew onboard the aircraft to put the aircraft in a confign for de-icing; but there were no crew members or anyone else on board. It wasn't until we approached the cabin that we realized that the cabin smelled of glycol. We called maintenance control and notified them that there had been contamination on this aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 WAS DE-ICED WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONING PACKS WERE OPERATING. ACFT CONTAMINATED WITH DE-ICING FLUID.

Narrative: I HAD JUST FINISHED DE-ICING AN ACFT; WHICH DEPARTED; WHEN I REALIZED THAT THE TOW ACFT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TERMINAL HAD SAT THROUGH THE SNOW EVENT WE JUST ENCOUNTERED. I KNEW IT SAT ON THE GND FOR A PERIOD OF TIME PRIOR TO DEP. I DECIDED TO DE-ICE THE ACFT WHILE IT HAD SOME GND TIME. I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK AND MADE THE DECISION TO DE-ICE ACFT. DURING THE DE-ICE OP; WE NOTICED THE APU WAS IN OP. THIS IS NORMAL FOR ANY DE-ICE OP. WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT THE PACKS WERE RUNNING. IT IS NORMAL FOR CREW ONBOARD THE ACFT TO PUT THE ACFT IN A CONFIGN FOR DE-ICING; BUT THERE WERE NO CREW MEMBERS OR ANYONE ELSE ON BOARD. IT WASN'T UNTIL WE APCHED THE CABIN THAT WE REALIZED THAT THE CABIN SMELLED OF GLYCOL. WE CALLED MAINT CTL AND NOTIFIED THEM THAT THERE HAD BEEN CONTAMINATION ON THIS ACFT.

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.

A B737-700 was de-iced while the air conditioning packs were operating. Aircraft contaminated with de-icing fluid.