MD80 captain directs passenger to evacuate at gate when failed APU results in smoke in cabin.

Attributes
ACN	776630
Time
Date	200802
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
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	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	776630
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	aircraft : evacuated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While parked at gate the APU fault light illuminated and the APU shut down. As the APU was spooling down a vibration resonated through the aircraft and could be felt in the cockpit. External power was connected. Electrical power was never interrupted. Within 30 seconds we began to smell smoke in the cockpit. Almost simultaneously a flight attendant called from the rear of the plane telling me that smoke was pouring out of the air conditioning vents. We were in the final stages of boarding a full flight with the aisle full of customers. While first officer called the tower for aarf I made a PA informing the passenger to immediately exit the airplane through the forward entry door in an orderly fashion; those who were standing should turn around and exit; those who were seated should leave their belongings and exit as soon as possible. An orderly evacuate/evacuation through the forward entry door followed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CAPTAIN DIRECTS PAX TO EVACUATE AT GATE WHEN FAILED APU RESULTS IN SMOKE IN CABIN.

Narrative: WHILE PARKED AT GATE THE APU FAULT LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE APU SHUT DOWN. AS THE APU WAS SPOOLING DOWN A VIBRATION RESONATED THROUGH THE ACFT AND COULD BE FELT IN THE COCKPIT. EXTERNAL PWR WAS CONNECTED. ELECTRICAL PWR WAS NEVER INTERRUPTED. WITHIN 30 SECONDS WE BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY A FLT ATTENDANT CALLED FROM THE REAR OF THE PLANE TELLING ME THAT SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS. WE WERE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF BOARDING A FULL FLT WITH THE AISLE FULL OF CUSTOMERS. WHILE FO CALLED THE TWR FOR AARF I MADE A PA INFORMING THE PAX TO IMMEDIATELY EXIT THE AIRPLANE THROUGH THE FORWARD ENTRY DOOR IN AN ORDERLY FASHION; THOSE WHO WERE STANDING SHOULD TURN AROUND AND EXIT; THOSE WHO WERE SEATED SHOULD LEAVE THEIR BELONGINGS AND EXIT ASAP. AN ORDERLY EVAC THROUGH THE FORWARD ENTRY DOOR FOLLOWED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.