A B777-200 flight crew during preflight experienced a loud noise and unidentified white fibers assoc...

Attributes
ACN	813523
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : relief pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	813523
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : relief pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	813524
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : 5
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Prior to pushback flight attendants reported loud noise and white fibers coming from the lower vents on the left side of the aft portion of the economy cabin. Maintenance was contacted and they deferred the event to be repaired and cleaned at destination. After takeoff the event repeated itself a number of times with heat and white fibrous material coming from the vents in the lower portion of the sidewall of the aircraft along with very loud noise. This material covered a number of the passengers and myself as I investigated the problem while I was on break. At the present time I am suffering from symptoms that resemble the itch you get when exposed to fiberglass fibers. I advised the captain that the situation was bad enough in the cabin to warrant a divert to ZZZ1. A divert to ZZZ1 was accomplished with no fuel dump and an uneventful overweight landing.supplemental information from acn 813524: the flight attendants in the rear of airplane were hearing a loud noise from the vents around row xx; accompanied by dust/insulation looking material coming out of the ducts. Maybe 10 minutes later; the sound and dust went away. It was about another 10 minutes when the events happened again; only the sidewall appeared to be very warm and the passengers and flight attendants also reported a smell in the area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777-200 FLIGHT CREW DURING PREFLIGHT EXPERIENCED A LOUD NOISE AND UNIDENTIFIED WHITE FIBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IN THE ECONOMY CABIN. MAINTENANCE DEFERRED THE ITEM; BUT IT RECURRED ENROUTE; AND THE FLIGHT DIVERTED TO AN ENROUTE ALTERNATE.

Narrative: PRIOR TO PUSHBACK FLT ATTENDANTS REPORTED LOUD NOISE AND WHITE FIBERS COMING FROM THE LOWER VENTS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AFT PORTION OF THE ECONOMY CABIN. MAINT WAS CONTACTED AND THEY DEFERRED THE EVENT TO BE REPAIRED AND CLEANED AT DEST. AFTER TAKEOFF THE EVENT REPEATED ITSELF A NUMBER OF TIMES WITH HEAT AND WHITE FIBROUS MATERIAL COMING FROM THE VENTS IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE SIDEWALL OF THE AIRCRAFT ALONG WITH VERY LOUD NOISE. THIS MATERIAL COVERED A NUMBER OF THE PASSENGERS AND MYSELF AS I INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM WHILE I WAS ON BREAK. AT THE PRESENT TIME I AM SUFFERING FROM SYMPTOMS THAT RESEMBLE THE ITCH YOU GET WHEN EXPOSED TO FIBERGLASS FIBERS. I ADVISED THE CAPT THAT THE SITUATION WAS BAD ENOUGH IN THE CABIN TO WARRANT A DIVERT TO ZZZ1. A DIVERT TO ZZZ1 WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH NO FUEL DUMP AND AN UNEVENTFUL OVERWEIGHT LANDING.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 813524: THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS IN THE REAR OF AIRPLANE WERE HEARING A LOUD NOISE FROM THE VENTS AROUND ROW XX; ACCOMPANIED BY DUST/INSULATION LOOKING MATERIAL COMING OUT OF THE DUCTS. MAYBE 10 MINUTES LATER; THE SOUND AND DUST WENT AWAY. IT WAS ABOUT ANOTHER 10 MINUTES WHEN THE EVENTS HAPPENED AGAIN; ONLY THE SIDEWALL APPEARED TO BE VERY WARM AND THE PASSENGERS AND FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ALSO REPORTED A SMELL IN THE AREA.

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.

A B777-200 flight crew during preflight experienced a loud noise and unidentified white fibers associated with the air conditioning system in the economy cabin. Maintenance deferred the item; but it recurred enroute; and the flight diverted to an enroute alternate.