B757-200. PURSER FLT ATTENDANT SAW SOMETHING DETACHED BY THE L OVERWING EXIT.

Date: 2004-01 · Aircraft: B757-200 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe

Synopsis

B757-200. PURSER FLT ATTENDANT SAW SOMETHING DETACHED BY THE L OVERWING EXIT.

Narrative

UPON LEVELING OFF AT FL370; PURSER CALLED COCKPIT WITH INFO REGARDING: A STRIP OF MATERIAL THAT HAD PEELED BACK ON THE EXTERIOR OF ACFT; BELOW THE EMER EXIT. I WAS PF; AND WAS GUARDING ATC ON COM #1. I TURNED THE #2 VOLUME UP; LISTENED AS THE CAPT AND PURSER DISCUSSED ISSUE. THE CAPT INQUIRED HOW LONG THE STRIP WAS WHEN I BEGAN LISTENING IN; AND THE ANSWER RECEIVED WAS A VERY VAGUE 'PRETTY LONG.' OUR CREW MEALS WERE SOON TO FOLLOW; SO WE DISCUSSED THE ISSUE WITH PURSER FACE TO FACE WHEN SHE ENTERED THE COCKPIT. THE INFO SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS THE EMER EGRESS AREA DIRECTLY BELOW THE OVERWING EXIT. WE INQUIRED REGARDING COLOR; TEXTURE AND LENGTH. A HAND GESTURE ESTIMATED BY THE FLT ATTENDANT APPEARED TO BE APPROX 8 INCHES. PRIOR TO HER ENTERING THE COCKPIT; I HAD GOT OUT OF MY SEAT AND PUT MY FACE ON THE L SIDE OF COCKPIT WINDOW. I WAS ABLE TO SEE A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE WING WHICH APPEARED NORMAL. WE HAD EXPERIENCED NO CTL OR UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS IN COCKPIT AND LOGGED THE ITEM IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK AND ACARS AS INFO RECEIVED. THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID INDICATE THAT THERE WAS A VIBRATION AT THE L EMER EXIT ROW; AND WE FELT THAT WAS DUE TO MATERIAL IN SLIPSTREAM. I WAS TEMPTED TO GO BACK TO CABIN AFTER USING LAVATORY; BUT WITH SECURITY CONCERNS; AND EVEN HEIGHTENED SECURITY CAUSING CANCELLATIONS FOR THAT WEEKEND; IT WAS NOT A POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE. I INQUIRED OF OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS IN GALLEY AND ALL DESCRIPTIONS OF MATERIAL WERE SIMILAR. IT IS MY GUESS THAT THE AIRFLOW GOT BENEATH THIS MATERIAL WHEN THE SLATS WERE EXTENDED; CAUSING IT TO FURTHER PEEL BACK. APCH AND LNDG BOTH NORMAL. IN DEBRIEFING WITH CAPT; I RECOMMENDED THAT DUTY FLT MGR BE CONTACTED. I ALSO RECOMMENDED TO CAPT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AN ACFT PICTURE SO FLT ATTENDANTS COULD BETTER DESCRIBE/IDENT SPECIFIC LOCATIONS ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 606656: FLT ATTENDANT CALLED COCKPIT AND SAID THERE WAS A STRIP OF MATERIAL COMING UP FROM AN AREA JUST OUTSIDE OF THE OVERWING EXIT ON THE L SIDE OF WING. SHE SAID IT WAS ABOUT A FT LONG. I SURMISED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE LEAD OFF ARROWS OR THE ANTI-SKID PATH THAT LEADS PAX OFF DURING AN EVAC.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.