Air Carrier Deadheading Captain reported a communications breakdown between DH Captain and Operating Captain regarding APU bleed duct contamination. The APU bleed duct contamination was identified and corrected by Maintenance a week after the flight.
Synopsis
Air Carrier Deadheading Captain reported a communications breakdown between DH Captain and Operating Captain regarding APU bleed duct contamination. The APU bleed duct contamination was identified and corrected by Maintenance a week after the flight.
Narrative
I was a Deadheading Pilot from ZZZ to ZZZ1. I arrived at the plane preparing to sit where I was assigned. When I boarded; the A Flight Attendant told me that they had held boarding to clear the air from the airplane. She said that she could barely breathe when she first stepped on the plane and that the plane had had the dirty sock smell. But the cabin doors had been open for quite some time and the ground air-conditioning cart had been attached for so long by the time I had gotten there that I didn't smell anything. The A Flight Attendant then proceeded to say that it was her impression that this smell had happened on the flight in on the ground after the APU was started on the taxi in. I was unclear as to whether or not the A Flight Attendant had learned the history information from the previous crew; or the Mechanic who was on the Plane at the time in ZZZ. At this point there were no operating pilots on the airplane. I then took the initiative to call Maintenance Control in ZZZ2 and advise them of the situation; I advised them that I was not the operating Captain; nor current on the A320. I advised them that the A Flight Attendant told me that she had noticed the dirty sock smell; however I noticed nothing as I boarded well after the ground air cart was hooked up to the plane with the APU off. Maintenance Control took no action as a result of my call. When the operating pilots finally were about to board the plane; I met with them in the jetway to discuss the matter privately. I advised them that the A Flight Attendant said this plane had had the dirty sock smell and contaminated air. I also told them I didn't smell anything as the ground air cart had been running for long time. The Captain seemed to understand. I went to my assigned seat of XX. The APU bleed was turned on and the door was closed. I immediately noticed the dirty sock smell. I didn't say or do anything about this observation. I briefly contemplated the 'what if's' of me; the Deadheading Pilot; attempting to stop the operation or demanding to get off the plane. I didn't choose this option; partly because I know that I have been exposed to this type of contaminated air at least 5 times before. I don't believe that I have been exposed to this more often than my fellow crew members at this airline; or throughout the industry; I do believe that my nose and mind have become more highly attuned to knowing what I am smelling due to the correct diagnosing in the past; and following up with Maintenance Control in each of those instances. Given the ubiquitous nature of how often these issues; and most people exposed haven't been significantly affected; I decided to not inject myself again. I assumed that they would smell it too. The A FA (Flight Attendant) seemed to be highly vigilant about this matter; I assumed she would speak up and say she smelt the dirty sock smell. After we blocked in to ZZZ1 she told me she did tell the Captain that she reported the dirty sock smell to the Captain; and that the Captain replied to her that he was sure it was okay; or something to that effect. I am unclear as to whether that reported interaction between the Captain and the A FA happened in ZZZ or ZZZ1. The smell cleared out some time after the engines were started on climb out.The smell returned on the ground in ZZZ1 nearing gate block in when; I assume the APU bleed was re-engaged. I had the Captain's phone number; so I sent him some text messages so that he would hopefully see then after he blocked in; in case I wouldn't see him after block in. The text messages said: 'This plane definitely had oil in the bleed duct'; 'I've had it five times'; and 'If you feel any symptoms over the coming days contact [Person A]'. I then got up to leave and saw the Captain as he was making his way to leave. I told him I was pretty sure this plane had contaminated bleed. He told me he disagreed and he thought nothing was wrong. He then left. I was highly incredulous to be dismissed so easily on an issue that I knew to be such a threat to health and safety. This was when I had the aforementioned conversation with the A FA regarding whether or not she advised the Captain on the dirty sock smell. I then stepped into the flight deck to see if they made any write-up. There was nothing in the logbook. I waited to talk to a Mechanic who was doing the post-flight walk around. I advised the Technician that I am highly aware what a contaminated bleed smells like and this plane had oil contaminating the bleed. He assured me he would inspect it. As I was leaving the plane from talking with the Technician; I received the following text from the Captain: 'I disagree; we had no issues this whole flight. Go home and get some rest.' I then responded 'I've had it five times. I know what it smells like.'I walked to my hotel in ZZZ1. To say I was angry at the Captain is a profound understatement. To have been dismissed by him; when I had been through these issues so often; knowing friends and colleagues who are disabled due to these events; ensured I was in a state of vigilance on this issue. I called Maintenance Control when I got to the hotel before I went to bed. I inquired as to whether or not the Mechanic found anything. They showed no record of anything being inspected regarding air quality. The plane was now enroute to ZZZ3. I sent a text to the new operating Captain of what I smelled. No response (I'm not even sure I had the right phone number). I asked that Maintenance Controller if they could inspect the plane for APU oil contaminating the bleed. I called back about four hours later as the plane was on it's RON (Routine Overnight) in ZZZ3 and spoke to a different Maintenance Controller asking if anyone would inspect the plane for this issue. The reported no one had and made only abstract hints that they may have someone look into it. The plane was to fly again at XG:00 AM. I had a XA:30 wake up in ZZZ1 for my XC:30 AM departure. I called Maintenance Control a third time; speaking to a third different Maintenance Control. I once again inquired if this issue had been looked into or documented. Again nothing. I did get the flight number of the departing flight so I could look up the Captain. I sent the next operating Captain an email about what I smelled yesterday and my confidence that the bleed was contaminated. I called the Duty Officer before I departed to ZZZ4. I encouraged the Duty Officer to get Maintenance to inspect the plane; I told him I will gladly 'eat crow' if I am wrong. He told me that while it wasn't within his scope to tell Maintenance what to do; he would contact the next operating Captain as well; encouraging his vigilance around a possible dirty sock smell. Thankfully; this is where the safety issue finally got trapped. The Captain of the plane supposed to depart ZZZ3 reported to me that he turned on the APU bleed; it smelled like the dirty sock smell; and he wrote it up. I learned by following up with Maintenance Control later that the plane was pulled off line for a couple days and they did in fact find oil in the APU bleed duct; and had to decontaminate the system.I am writing this narrative a week after the incident. It took a week after this incident to gain a better perspective and reframe the significant anger I had at my fellow Captain. He isn't the problem. His dismissiveness of me and his A FA are only symptoms of a much bigger cultural problems about this issue. We do not have a culture that is committed to stopping operating with a questionable air quality issue. If I told the Captain there was ice all over the wing; he would 100% ensure that he did not operate the plane with ice on it. While this issue should be every bit as binary as departing with ice on our wings; if one hasn't ever correctly correlated this smell with Maintenance positively finding oil in the bleed duct; one would be reasonably reticent to ground an airplane over this. I will further add that the intensity of the smell varies; and 'dirty socks'; while very close in character to the smell; doesn't quite nail it. The smell is unique. And the smell can vary depending on whether the oil is burning. It is also a smell that almost any crew member who has flown for decades has smelled before on otherwise unremarkable flights. It will not raise psychological alarm bells unless it happens to be an outlier case (severe contamination); or the crew has had experience correctly identifying this in the past. I will say that the first time I wrote up a plane for this I felt very nervous that I would be wrong; and would be judged as being overly vigilant. I am sure that this plays a factor into why more people will not write it up. No one wants to be 'the guy' who writes up a plane that just smells only a little bit funny. Our brains are primed to come up with any other plausible reason why we might be smelling this smell; e.g.; humid musty air outside the airport.My concern as to the process and procedures here are that I; a fully qualified pilot; who told each person that I have correctly identified this issue five times before; expressed my concern to Maintenance Control on the ground in ZZZ. A fellow pilot (along with the A FA expressing the same concern). A Mechanic. A second Maintenance Controller. A third Maintenance Controller. A fourth Maintenance Controller. A Duty Officer who didn't feel empowered to invoke the safety pause to inspect it at his command; but did at least feel empowered to advise the incoming Captain. The plane operated from ZZZ to ZZZ1 with air contamination (and who knows how many legs before hand). The plane then operated from ZZZ1-ZZZ3 with air contamination after a Pilot and Mechanic were advised of the issue. The error chain may have stopped in ZZZ3 without the Duty Officer and myself contacting the next operating Captain. It is unknowable to me whether or not he would have written it up had we not 'primed the pump' for him. My recommendation is we must change the culture around the reporting of smells and the empowerment of our crews to encourage proper responses. Furthermore; given the difficulty of correctly identifying the smell; crews who have been operating contaminated planes should be notified after the fact so that they may have the opportunity to reflect on whether or not they smelled anything that their noses may be trained so that they may be more vigilant in the future. Last but not least. We must have detection. Not simple CO detectors; but detectors that indicate whether we have the neurotoxic chemicals present in the cabin. Detectors that must advise the crew in these situations; not merely advising Maintenance on an inspection. We can do better. Let us not let fear of liability stop up from appropriate action on this issue.
Second reporter narrative
On Flight XXX ZZZ-ZZZ1 I was approached before the flight by a Deadheading Crewmember and he said the airplane 'smells like dirty socks'. My FO (First Officer) and I proceeded onto the aircraft and did not notice any unusual smell. While I performed the walk-around I did notice the musty; salty smell in ZZZ from the ocean air. Inside the aircraft we had that same musty smell because the door was open.We proceeded to ZZZ1 and had no issues; no smell; no complaints from passengers.This is a record of flight XXX from the operating crew.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.