MD80 CREW EXECUTED AN EMER EVACUATION AFTER LNDG BECAUSE OF WHITE SMOKE IN THE CABIN CAUSED BY HYDRAULIC FLUID ENTERING AN AIR CONDITIONING PACK.

2006-05 · NASA ASRS report 698489

Date: 2006-05 · Aircraft: MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model · Phase: taxi

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|flight-deck-cabin-aircraft-event-smoke-fire-fumes-odor

Synopsis

MD80 CREW EXECUTED AN EMER EVACUATION AFTER LNDG BECAUSE OF WHITE SMOKE IN THE CABIN CAUSED BY HYDRAULIC FLUID ENTERING AN AIR CONDITIONING PACK.

Narrative

FLT TOOK OFF AND LANDED UNEVENTFUL. AFTER WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE AND SHORT TAXI; ACFT STOPPED TO WAIT FOR TFC. PAX STARTED RINGING CALL BUTTON ONE AFTER ANOTHER. GREY-WHITE SMOKE STARTED TO APPEAR AND GET THICKER. IT APPEARED TO ME THAT IT WAS COMING FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE ACFT. I RANG THE CAPT TO INFORM OF ISSUE. #1 FLT ATTENDANT HAD ALREADY MADE CONTACT WITH CAPT. I STOOD ON HOLD FOR A FEW SECONDS. SAW THE COCKPIT DOOR BEING OPENED. CAPT SAID HE WANTED TO SEE THE SMOKE. I HUNG UP. IN THE MEANTIME; #4 FLT ATTENDANT AND I ATTEMPTED TO SEE WHAT OR WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM WITHOUT VENTURING FAR FROM OUR DOORS. WE CHKED LAVS AND GALLEY. COULD NOT FIND SOURCE OR ANY FIRE. IT WAS COMING TOO QUICKLY AND CHOKING US. SMOKE WAS GETTING VERY THICK AT THIS POINT. WE WERE WALKING AND TALKING AROUND IN IT. THE SMOKE WAS VERY DRY AND IT SMELLED ELECTRICAL. IT TASTED AND SMELLED MUCH LIKE CRUSHED UP CHALK. IT WAS NOT BLACK LIKE FIRE. THE CABIN WAS FILLING UP VERY QUICKLY AND MY BREATHING WAS SHORT. I COULD SEE THE PANIC IN THE FACES OF OUR MANY PAX. THEY WERE STARING AT ME WONDERING WHAT TO DO. I WAS STARTING TO COUGH AND WANTED TO EVACUATE; BUT I COULD STILL HEAR THE ENGS RUMBLING BESIDE ME. DURING THIS TIME; THE CAPT AND FO WERE IN THE PROCESS OF THEIR CHKLIST. I HEARD THE ENGS CEASE FOLLOWED BY 'EVAC' 3 TIMES; NO EXITS WERE MENTIONED. I OPENED MY DOOR AND THE SLIDE JETTSIONED WITHOUT A HITCH. I DROPPED THE STRAP AND BEGAN EVACUATING MY LAST ROW AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. WE HAD AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR ELDERLY PAX THAT DID A GREAT JOB GETTING OUT. MANY PAX WANTED TO BRING CARRY-ON SERIOUSLY WORRIED ABOUT THEIR CONNECTIONS! IN SHOCK; I GUESS; OR JUST OBLIVIOUS TO THE FACT THAT THIS WAS AN EMER. THE TFC TO THE DOORS WAS CONSTANT. THE PEOPLE WERE GREAT AND COOPERATIVE; AS IF THEY HAD DONE THIS BEFORE! NO PUSHING OR CHAOS; UNTIL ALMOST EVERYONE WAS OFF. THERE WAS A SHORT BOTTLENECK OF THE LAST PEOPLE TRYING TO EXIT THE FORWARD DOORS. PEOPLE GRABBING CARRY ON HELD UP THE FLOW. WE REDIRECTED TOWARDS THE BACK. I RAN UP TO PAX AND INSISTED THEY LEAVE CARRY ON AND EXIT IMMEDIATELY. CABIN THEN WAS CLEAR. #4 FLT ATTENDANT AND I CHKED LAVS FOR PAX AND THEN EXITED OUT THE TAIL CONE EXIT. WE HELPED GATHER UP PAX AND DIRECT TOWARDS THE TERMINAL; WHICH WAS VERY CLOSE BY. AUTHORITIES WERE ALREADY PRESENT AND CTLING CROWD. EVERYONE WAS QUICKLY GATHERED UP AND BROUGHT INTO THE TERMINAL.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HYDRAULIC FLUID HAD ENTERED THE AIR CONDITIONING PACK; CAUSING A GREY SMOKE IN THE CABIN. THE FIRST PERSON TO EXIT ON FWD L SLIDE WAS INJURED WITH CUTS AND BROKEN TOE. THE SLIDE SEEMED SHORTER THAN ALL OTHER SLIDES.

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

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