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A B737-300 flight crew reported a 'smelly sock' odor during descent they associated with previous reports of oil blow-by in the compressor sections of the engines. The first officer reported physiological repercussions.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 926112 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201101 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.ARTCC |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Descent |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Air Conditioning Distribution System |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | First Officer Pilot Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | Pilot Not Flying Captain |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor |
Narrative:
During descent the captain and I both noticed a strong odor that is best described as a smelly sock. The smell continued until touchdown at which point we switched over to APU bleed air. The flight attendants also reported the strange odor. Although I obviously have no way of knowing what caused it; I had a bad headache for most of the flight which was not alleviated by use of over-the-counter medications. Also; I noticed my eyes were very red after this flight.it is my understanding that this odor can occur when engine oil is blown by one of the seals in the engine compressor and enters the packs and air distribution system. The fumes can be highly toxic to humans.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-300 flight crew reported a 'smelly sock' odor during descent they associated with previous reports of oil blow-by in the compressor sections of the engines. The First Officer reported physiological repercussions.
Narrative: During descent the Captain and I both noticed a strong odor that is best described as a smelly sock. The smell continued until touchdown at which point we switched over to APU bleed air. The flight attendants also reported the strange odor. Although I obviously have no way of knowing what caused it; I had a bad headache for most of the flight which was not alleviated by use of over-the-counter medications. Also; I noticed my eyes were very red after this flight.It is my understanding that this odor can occur when engine oil is blown by one of the seals in the engine compressor and enters the packs and air distribution system. The fumes can be highly toxic to humans.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.