Passenger baggage fell from an overhead bin in-flight, and struck a flight attendant.

Attributes
ACN	316196
Time
Date	199508
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eggx
State Reference	FO
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : eggx tower : bwi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	316196
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

About 2 hours out, as I was bending over to pick up a meal tray, a passenger in the row behind me stood up and opened the overhead bin. When he did, a large bag fell out striking me on the back of the head, neck and upper back. Since I was bending over and did not see it coming, I had no time to get out of the way. The time between the bin opening and the bag hitting me was just a few seconds! I know I am not the only one to be injured by baggage falling out of an overhead bin. Until the FAA puts strict limits on the size and weight of what can be put in the bins, this will happen again and again. If the item placed in the overhead bin could injure someone if it fell out, it should not be allowed up there. Why not go back to only hats and coats in the overhead bins and only one piece of carry on that properly fits under the seat!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX BAGGAGE FELL FROM AN OVERHEAD BIN INFLT, AND STRUCK A FLT ATTENDANT.

Narrative: ABOUT 2 HRS OUT, AS I WAS BENDING OVER TO PICK UP A MEAL TRAY, A PAX IN THE ROW BEHIND ME STOOD UP AND OPENED THE OVERHEAD BIN. WHEN HE DID, A LARGE BAG FELL OUT STRIKING ME ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD, NECK AND UPPER BACK. SINCE I WAS BENDING OVER AND DID NOT SEE IT COMING, I HAD NO TIME TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. THE TIME BTWN THE BIN OPENING AND THE BAG HITTING ME WAS JUST A FEW SECONDS! I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE TO BE INJURED BY BAGGAGE FALLING OUT OF AN OVERHEAD BIN. UNTIL THE FAA PUTS STRICT LIMITS ON THE SIZE AND WT OF WHAT CAN BE PUT IN THE BINS, THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN. IF THE ITEM PLACED IN THE OVERHEAD BIN COULD INJURE SOMEONE IF IT FELL OUT, IT SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED UP THERE. WHY NOT GO BACK TO ONLY HATS AND COATS IN THE OVERHEAD BINS AND ONLY ONE PIECE OF CARRY ON THAT PROPERLY FITS UNDER THE SEAT!

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.