B757 FLIGHT CREW ELECTS TO DIVERT AFTER A BURNING PLASTIC SMELL IS DETECTED IN THE CABIN. AFTER THE FLIGHT A PASSENGER PRODUCES A PILLOW WITH THE BURNED PLASTIC SMELL; THAT WAS UP AGAINST THE SIDE WALL AND WINDOW AT ROW 35. WINDOW SHADE IS REPORTED VERY HOT.

2008-11 · NASA ASRS report 813281

Date: 2008-11 · Aircraft: B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model · Phase: cruise

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

Synopsis

B757 FLIGHT CREW ELECTS TO DIVERT AFTER A BURNING PLASTIC SMELL IS DETECTED IN THE CABIN. AFTER THE FLIGHT A PASSENGER PRODUCES A PILLOW WITH THE BURNED PLASTIC SMELL; THAT WAS UP AGAINST THE SIDE WALL AND WINDOW AT ROW 35. WINDOW SHADE IS REPORTED VERY HOT.

Narrative

APPROX ONE HOUR INTO THE FLT WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM FLT ATTENDANT COMPLAINING THAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE IN THE CABIN AREA. THE CABIN TEMP GAUGES WERE READING ABOUT 73 DEGS. WE REDUCE THE TEMP SETTING IN THE AFT CABIN. APPROX ONE HOUR LATER WE RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL FROM THE SAME FLT ATTENDANT STATING THAT IT WAS STILL VERY HOT AND THAT HE AND FLT ATTENDANT'S WERE SUFFERING FROM DIZZINESS. WE FURTHER REDUCED THE TEMP THROUGHOUT THE CABIN AND TURNED OFF THE R RECIRC FAN TO INCREASE THE FLOW OF FRESH AIR TO THE CABIN. MEANWHILE; I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH FLT ATTENDANT ABOUT THE CONDITION IN THE CABIN. HE STATED HE WAS FINE AND THAT IT HAD BEEN WARM; BUT IT WAS COOLING OFF. AT THIS TIME I REQUESTED THAT THE PURSER COME TO THE COCKPIT TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION. I WAS TOLD SHE WAS IN THE BACK AND WOULD COME UP WHEN SHE RETURNED. AFTER SOME DELAY; I AGAIN CALLED AND WAS TOLD SHE JUST WENT TO THE BACK AGAIN. I SAID I NEEDED TO TALK TO HER RIGHT AWAY. WHEN SHE ARRIVED; I QUESTIONED HER ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OF THE TWO FLT ATTENDANTS; THE PAX; THE CABIN AND HER OWN PHYSICAL CONDITION. SHE SAID THE TWO FLT ATTENDANT'S WERE COMPLAINING OF DIZZINESS; THE CABIN AND PAX SEEMED FINE AND THAT SHE THOUGHT THAT HER VISION HAD BEEN MOMENTARILY BLEARY; BUT THAT SHE WAS ALRIGHT. I TOLD HER TO KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON THE SITUATION AND TO NOTIFY ME IMMEDIATELY IF ANY PAX STARTED COMPLAINING OR THINGS WORSENED IN ANY WAY. AT THAT POINT; THE FO LEFT THE COCKPIT FOR A BREAK. WHEN HE RETURNED HE SAID THAT HE HAD TALKED TO THE TWO FLT ATTENDANT'S ABOUT THEIR CONDITION. HE SAID IT WAS COOL IN THE CABIN AND HE DID NOT DETECT ANY ABNORMALITIES. ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER WE RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL FROM THE BACK. FLT ATTENDANT SAID THAT THEY NOW SMELLED A BURNING SMELL IN THE AFT OF THE CABIN. I SENT THE FO BACK AND WHEN HE RETURNED HE SAID THE ODOR SMELLED LIKE 'MELTING PLASTIC.' AT THIS TIME ZZZ WAS 140 MILES IN FRONT OF US AND WE COORDINATED WITH DISPATCH TO DIVERT THERE. WE DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC DUE TO OUR OVERWEIGHT CONDITION AND DUE TO THE UNCERTAIN STATUS OF OUR ACFT. A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN AND ROLLOUT WAS PERFORMED ON RWY AND THE ACFT WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP ON THE PARALLEL TXWY WHERE FIRE EQUIPMENT WAS WAITING. THE ACFT WAS SCANNED AND REPORTED FREE OF ANY ABNORMAL HOT SPOTS. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. WHILE UNLOADING; A GENTLEMAN; WHO HAD BEEN SITTING IN ROW XX; PRODUCED A PILLOW THAT HE SAID WAS RESTING AGAINST THE WINDOW AND SIDEWALL AT HIS SEAT. HE SAID THE PILLOW HAD GOTTEN VERY HOT AND HAD THE SMELL OF 'BURNING PLASTIC' ON IT. HE ALSO STATED THAT HIS WIFE TOUCHED THE WINDOW SHADE AND THAT IT WAS SO HOT 'IT BLISTERED HER FINGER.' AFTER THE FLIGHT; I WAS TOLD BY FLT ATTENDANT THAT SHE TOO HAD SUFFERED FROM DIZZINESS. SHE ALSO SAID SHE HAD A CHRONIC SINUS CONDITION THE CAUSES DIZZINESS; BUT THAT IT SEEMED WORSE THIS TIME. ALL FLT ATTENDANT'S SEEMED TO RECOVER FROM ANY ILL EFFECTS WHILE WAITING IN TERMINAL FOLLOWING DE-BOARDING. THEY DECLINED TO SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 816481: SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF I CALLED THE COCKPIT TO REQUEST THAT THEY COOL OFF THE CABIN WHICH WAS VERY HOT. THE #5 HAD PREVIOUSLY CALLED TO REQUEST SAME. STATED THE MAIN CABIN SERVICE AT XA00. WE ME AND THE #4 NOTICED THE AREA BY ROW X WAS VERY HOT AND STUFFY. BY ROW YX IT WAS VERY HOT; AND THE #4 AND I WERE ALSO VERY DIZZY. WE THOUGHT WE MAY BE MAKING A SHARP TURN. I CALLED THE COCKPIT AND THE CAPT TOLD ME THAT WE SHOULD BE FREEZING BECAUSE THE TEMP INDICATOR SHOWED 72 DEGS. I TOLD HIM IT FELT LIKE 95 IN THE CABIN. I ALSO TOLD HIM THAT ME AND THE #4 WERE DIZZY. THE #1 WALKED TO THE BACK TO SEE IF SHE FELT ANYTHING. SHE CHECKED ON THE 4 WHO WAS VERY HOT AND DIZZY. 1 REPORTS THAT SHE FELT HOT AND DIZZY ON THE WAY BACK TO FLT CREW AND ESPECIALLY AROUND THE WINDOW EXITS. 1 CALLED COCKPIT AND REITERATED OUR SYMPTOMS TO CAPT. 1 WENT IN COCKPIT AND FO WALKED TO BACK. FO SAID HE COULDN'T FEEL ANYTHING; BUT IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN HIM BEING THERE FOR 5 MINS TO F

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

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