A B737-200 in cruise at FL310 declared an emergency and diverted due to fumes in the passenger cabin...

Attributes
ACN	425472
Time
Date	199901
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fwa
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11300 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	425472
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12614 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	425142
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other

Narrative:

Flight attendant reported fumes in cabin, passenger coughing, sent first officer to investigate. He confirmed inhaling something that made him cough. Declared emergency, performed checklist items, landed at nearest suitable field, ft wayne. Fumes dissipated so we taxied to gate for safe deplaning rather than evacing on ice. Paramedics met flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the air-conditioning packs were checked out for oil in the ducting and found dry. The reporter said the air-conditioning packs were operated in all modes with engine and APU pneumatics and found ok. The reporter suspects with no positive proof that a pepper spray cartridge was inadvertently discharged in a passenger carry-on bag.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 IN CRUISE AT FL310 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO FUMES IN THE PAX CABIN.

Narrative: FLT ATTENDANT RPTED FUMES IN CABIN, PAX COUGHING, SENT FO TO INVESTIGATE. HE CONFIRMED INHALING SOMETHING THAT MADE HIM COUGH. DECLARED EMER, PERFORMED CHKLIST ITEMS, LANDED AT NEAREST SUITABLE FIELD, FT WAYNE. FUMES DISSIPATED SO WE TAXIED TO GATE FOR SAFE DEPLANING RATHER THAN EVACING ON ICE. PARAMEDICS MET FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIR-CONDITIONING PACKS WERE CHKED OUT FOR OIL IN THE DUCTING AND FOUND DRY. THE RPTR SAID THE AIR-CONDITIONING PACKS WERE OPERATED IN ALL MODES WITH ENG AND APU PNEUMATICS AND FOUND OK. THE RPTR SUSPECTS WITH NO POSITIVE PROOF THAT A PEPPER SPRAY CARTRIDGE WAS INADVERTENTLY DISCHARGED IN A PAX CARRY-ON BAG.

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.