The crew of an A320 with the APU MEL'ed started engines at the gate; turned the bleeds and packs on ...

Narrative:

Aircraft had one MEL 49-10 inoperative APU. Normal operations with assisted ground air start after starting engine #1 while still at gate; configured aircraft for taxi. Turning both packs on and opening the cross bleed; there was a very noticeable smell and odor. It was a dirty; sharp; acrid; smell in the cockpit. I called the first flight attendant; she smelled an odor and said the passengers were complaining about the smell too. I switched off the bleeds and packs and called the gate back to the aircraft. We deplaned all the passengers and I entered a discrepancy in the aircraft log for smell and odor filling out the additional maintenance work sheet. While waiting with the crew for operational decisions to be made. The flight attendants all had complained of headaches and dizziness. The first officer said he had a headache; I had no symptoms. The flight was canceled and my crew all deadheaded to the crew base. The flight attendants went to the company clinic. Pilots were released and went home.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: The crew of an A320 with the APU MEL'ed started engines at the gate; turned the bleeds and packs ON and immediately the aircraft filled with a dirty; acrid smell which made some crew members ill and caused the flight to be canceled.

Narrative: Aircraft had one MEL 49-10 inoperative APU. Normal operations with assisted ground air start after starting engine #1 while still at gate; configured aircraft for taxi. Turning both packs on and opening the cross bleed; there was a very noticeable smell and odor. It was a dirty; sharp; acrid; smell in the cockpit. I called the First Flight Attendant; she smelled an odor and said the passengers were complaining about the smell too. I switched off the bleeds and packs and called the gate back to the aircraft. We deplaned all the passengers and I entered a discrepancy in the aircraft log for smell and odor filling out the additional maintenance work sheet. While waiting with the crew for operational decisions to be made. The flight attendants all had complained of headaches and dizziness. The First Officer said he had a headache; I had no symptoms. The flight was canceled and my crew all deadheaded to the crew base. The flight attendants went to the company clinic. Pilots were released and went home.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Attributes
ACN	989784
Time
Date	201201
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Air Conditioning Distribution System
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
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

The crew of an A320 with the APU MEL'ed started engines at the gate; turned the bleeds and packs on and immediately the aircraft filled with a dirty; acrid smell which made some crew members ill and caused the flight to be canceled.