A widebody transport crew had a blown pneumatic duct resulting in an aborted takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	215221
Time
Date	199207
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	215221
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

As power was applied for takeoff, heard loud thumps similar to compressor stall. I aborted, proceeded to parallel taxiway, parked, performed abnormal procedure for blown center duct which was now annunciated on overhead panel. Flight attendants were frightened and reacted to smoke as if it was fire. We had difficulty communicating with them as they thought we were on fire and proceeded to extinguish a non existent fire in aft section of our widebody transport. I told first officer to perform any other abnormals he deemed necessary including shutting engines down as I left cockpit to see for myself. (Engines were shut down). Passengers were very uneasy and out of their seats. I took control and was able to get them calmed down as I had determined no fire existed. It now became very hot and I instructed flight attendants to open cabin doors to provide air and relieve claustrophobia. Instructed flight attendants to stay near doors so they could close them if we had to evacuate/evacuation in the future. (I felt there was no danger of this now). A tug was sent to pull us back to terminal uneventfully. From 'thump' to jetway: 48 mins. Flight attendants need to be taught that where there's smoke this is not always fire -- hardly ever as a matter of fact. Knowing this would have allowed for better communication and would have put passengers and cockpit crew in a better position to deal with situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A WDB CREW HAD A BLOWN PNEUMATIC DUCT RESULTING IN AN ABORTED TKOF.

Narrative: AS PWR WAS APPLIED FOR TKOF, HEARD LOUD THUMPS SIMILAR TO COMPRESSOR STALL. I ABORTED, PROCEEDED TO PARALLEL TAXIWAY, PARKED, PERFORMED ABNORMAL PROC FOR BLOWN CTR DUCT WHICH WAS NOW ANNUNCIATED ON OVERHEAD PANEL. FLT ATTENDANTS WERE FRIGHTENED AND REACTED TO SMOKE AS IF IT WAS FIRE. WE HAD DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH THEM AS THEY THOUGHT WE WERE ON FIRE AND PROCEEDED TO EXTINGUISH A NON EXISTENT FIRE IN AFT SECTION OF OUR WDB. I TOLD FO TO PERFORM ANY OTHER ABNORMALS HE DEEMED NECESSARY INCLUDING SHUTTING ENGS DOWN AS I LEFT COCKPIT TO SEE FOR MYSELF. (ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN). PAXS WERE VERY UNEASY AND OUT OF THEIR SEATS. I TOOK CTL AND WAS ABLE TO GET THEM CALMED DOWN AS I HAD DETERMINED NO FIRE EXISTED. IT NOW BECAME VERY HOT AND I INSTRUCTED FLT ATTENDANTS TO OPEN CABIN DOORS TO PROVIDE AIR AND RELIEVE CLAUSTROPHOBIA. INSTRUCTED FLT ATTENDANTS TO STAY NEAR DOORS SO THEY COULD CLOSE THEM IF WE HAD TO EVAC IN THE FUTURE. (I FELT THERE WAS NO DANGER OF THIS NOW). A TUG WAS SENT TO PULL US BACK TO TERMINAL UNEVENTFULLY. FROM 'THUMP' TO JETWAY: 48 MINS. FLT ATTENDANTS NEED TO BE TAUGHT THAT WHERE THERE'S SMOKE THIS IS NOT ALWAYS FIRE -- HARDLY EVER AS A MATTER OF FACT. KNOWING THIS WOULD HAVE ALLOWED FOR BETTER COM AND WOULD HAVE PUT PAXS AND COCKPIT CREW IN A BETTER POS TO DEAL WITH SITUATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.