 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
B737-400 flight attendant's reported strong chemical odor on descent. After landing; one flight attendant was taken to hospital.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 737809 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200705 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight attendant : on duty |
| ASRS Report | 737809 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | cabin event other other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
At 10000 ft C flight attendant and a flight attendant were standing at the forward jumpseat. After making the announcement to get the cabin ready for landing C flight attendant noticed a strong odor in first class cabin. First class passenger were also noticing strong smell. C flight attendant came back to mid cabin to get the B flight attendant to come forward and try and help identify the odor. Smell was not the 'dirty socks' but a more chemical toxic smell. Aircraft landed in ZZZ; and immediately we opened all doors to clear out the smell. After passenger deplaned; it became obvious that a flight attendant was having difficulty (confused; twitching fingers and hands; eyes not focusing; unable to follow conversation; felt a knot in her throat and other symptoms) and C flight attendant had a slight headache and was loopy. We were unable to get through to medlink; so the supervisor called paramedics and they recommended a flight attendant go to the hospital and said she was in no condition to continue working. The cockpit crew also smelled the odor; they said it started at the top of descent. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the source of the fumes was unknown and she was not informed of the cause. The first class flight attendant was released from the hospital and is back on the job.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-400 FA'S REPORTED STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR ON DESCENT. AFTER LNDG; ONE FA WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL.
Narrative: AT 10000 FT C FLT ATTENDANT AND A FLT ATTENDANT WERE STANDING AT THE FORWARD JUMPSEAT. AFTER MAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO GET THE CABIN READY FOR LNDG C FLT ATTENDANT NOTICED A STRONG ODOR IN FIRST CLASS CABIN. FIRST CLASS PAX WERE ALSO NOTICING STRONG SMELL. C FLT ATTENDANT CAME BACK TO MID CABIN TO GET THE B FLT ATTENDANT TO COME FORWARD AND TRY AND HELP IDENT THE ODOR. SMELL WAS NOT THE 'DIRTY SOCKS' BUT A MORE CHEMICAL TOXIC SMELL. ACFT LANDED IN ZZZ; AND IMMEDIATELY WE OPENED ALL DOORS TO CLR OUT THE SMELL. AFTER PAX DEPLANED; IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT A FLT ATTENDANT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY (CONFUSED; TWITCHING FINGERS AND HANDS; EYES NOT FOCUSING; UNABLE TO FOLLOW CONVERSATION; FELT A KNOT IN HER THROAT AND OTHER SYMPTOMS) AND C FLT ATTENDANT HAD A SLIGHT HEADACHE AND WAS LOOPY. WE WERE UNABLE TO GET THROUGH TO MEDLINK; SO THE SUPVR CALLED PARAMEDICS AND THEY RECOMMENDED A FLT ATTENDANT GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND SAID SHE WAS IN NO CONDITION TO CONTINUE WORKING. THE COCKPIT CREW ALSO SMELLED THE ODOR; THEY SAID IT STARTED AT THE TOP OF DSCNT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT THE SOURCE OF THE FUMES WAS UNKNOWN AND SHE WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE CAUSE. THE FIRST CLASS FA WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL AND IS BACK ON THE JOB.
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.