Cabin attendant report, S90, sjc-aus. On takeoff, stabilizer trim problem. Return to sjc. Flight can...

Attributes
ACN	481183
Time
Date	200007
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : o90.tracon
State Reference	CA
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 5
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 13.7 flight attendant time total : 13.7
ASRS Report	481183
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : cab #1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to alternate flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff, about 10 mins, I got up to turn on the oven in first class. I was flight attendant #1, and situation forward window-side jump seat position. I heard a strange noise under my feet in the aisle. Flight attendant #3 and I discussed it and I went into the cockpit to tell captain X. The captain turned around as I entered the cockpit, to tell me that we were going back to sjc. He told me that the aircraft wasn't trimming and that there would be no evacuate/evacuation necessary. He told me that we would be landing in 10 mins. I asked him if the landing/returning had anything to do with the sound I had heard and he said yes. After leaving the cockpit I called the other crew members, #2 and #4, in the back (main cabin). I gave them the same information that the captain gave me. The captain made a PA for the passenger, and I did as well. We never mentioned the word 'stabilizer,' only the trim. We are not sure how the media got word of it, either. The communication with our crew was fantastic. We had a working and professional cockpit who we knew well. I was briefed by the captain before takeoff. We discussed many scenarios. This contact really helped with our coordination of safety related duties as well. As we taxied into the gate area, I reminded the passenger to remain seated until otherwise told. We were confident in our abilities and in our jobs. Our captain gave us good information and handled this emergency extremely professionally. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that the media had evidentally been listening to the radio frequency of the conversation with the fire department, control tower and pilots. When their in-flight supervisor met the flight, she told the crew that the media was out there with cameras. The plane was taken OTS for maintenance, as it also landed 'heavy.' the passenger and crew were rebooked.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, S90, SJC-AUS. ON TKOF, STABILIZER TRIM PROB. RETURN TO SJC. FLT CANCELED, PLANE TAKEN OTS, MAINT PROC. GOOD PLT CABIN COM.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, ABOUT 10 MINS, I GOT UP TO TURN ON THE OVEN IN FIRST CLASS. I WAS FLT ATTENDANT #1, AND SIT FORWARD WINDOW-SIDE JUMP SEAT POS. I HEARD A STRANGE NOISE UNDER MY FEET IN THE AISLE. FLT ATTENDANT #3 AND I DISCUSSED IT AND I WENT INTO THE COCKPIT TO TELL CAPT X. THE CAPT TURNED AROUND AS I ENTERED THE COCKPIT, TO TELL ME THAT WE WERE GOING BACK TO SJC. HE TOLD ME THAT THE ACFT WASN'T TRIMMING AND THAT THERE WOULD BE NO EVAC NECESSARY. HE TOLD ME THAT WE WOULD BE LNDG IN 10 MINS. I ASKED HIM IF THE LNDG/RETURNING HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SOUND I HAD HEARD AND HE SAID YES. AFTER LEAVING THE COCKPIT I CALLED THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS, #2 AND #4, IN THE BACK (MAIN CABIN). I GAVE THEM THE SAME INFO THAT THE CAPT GAVE ME. THE CAPT MADE A PA FOR THE PAX, AND I DID AS WELL. WE NEVER MENTIONED THE WORD 'STABILIZER,' ONLY THE TRIM. WE ARE NOT SURE HOW THE MEDIA GOT WORD OF IT, EITHER. THE COM WITH OUR CREW WAS FANTASTIC. WE HAD A WORKING AND PROFESSIONAL COCKPIT WHO WE KNEW WELL. I WAS BRIEFED BY THE CAPT BEFORE TKOF. WE DISCUSSED MANY SCENARIOS. THIS CONTACT REALLY HELPED WITH OUR COORD OF SAFETY RELATED DUTIES AS WELL. AS WE TAXIED INTO THE GATE AREA, I REMINDED THE PAX TO REMAIN SEATED UNTIL OTHERWISE TOLD. WE WERE CONFIDENT IN OUR ABILITIES AND IN OUR JOBS. OUR CAPT GAVE US GOOD INFO AND HANDLED THIS EMER EXTREMELY PROFESSIONALLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THE MEDIA HAD EVIDENTALLY BEEN LISTENING TO THE RADIO FREQ OF THE CONVERSATION WITH THE FIRE DEPT, CTL TWR AND PLTS. WHEN THEIR INFLT SUPVR MET THE FLT, SHE TOLD THE CREW THAT THE MEDIA WAS OUT THERE WITH CAMERAS. THE PLANE WAS TAKEN OTS FOR MAINT, AS IT ALSO LANDED 'HVY.' THE PAX AND CREW WERE REBOOKED.

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.

Cabin attendant report, S90, sjc-aus. On takeoff, stabilizer trim problem. Return to sjc. Flight canceled, plane taken OTS, maintenance procedure. Good pilot cabin communication.