A B747-200 freighter in cruise diverted due to discovery of a leaking undocumented hazmat container.

Attributes
ACN	491489
Time
Date	200011
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : muha.artcc tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : ug430.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	491489
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

After reaching cruise altitude of FL370, I performed a walkaround of the cargo compartment. I noticed a smell of fumes coming from one of the pallets and after further investigation, determined it was some kind of undocumented hazmat. The small container was venting and wet. Also the container was dented and should not have been loaded on our aircraft. We made a decision to return to miami and let our company and the freight company take care of the situation. The landing was uneventful, but runway 9L at miami international was closed for a short time after our arrival in order for emergency response teams to 'sweep' it for any FOD/contaminants. We were interviewed by the fire department and then released.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-200 FREIGHTER IN CRUISE DIVERTED DUE TO DISCOVERY OF A LEAKING UNDOCUMENTED HAZMAT CONTAINER.

Narrative: AFTER REACHING CRUISE ALT OF FL370, I PERFORMED A WALKAROUND OF THE CARGO COMPARTMENT. I NOTICED A SMELL OF FUMES COMING FROM ONE OF THE PALLETS AND AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, DETERMINED IT WAS SOME KIND OF UNDOCUMENTED HAZMAT. THE SMALL CONTAINER WAS VENTING AND WET. ALSO THE CONTAINER WAS DENTED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN LOADED ON OUR ACFT. WE MADE A DECISION TO RETURN TO MIAMI AND LET OUR COMPANY AND THE FREIGHT COMPANY TAKE CARE OF THE SIT. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL, BUT RWY 9L AT MIAMI INTL WAS CLOSED FOR A SHORT TIME AFTER OUR ARR IN ORDER FOR EMER RESPONSE TEAMS TO 'SWEEP' IT FOR ANY FOD/CONTAMINANTS. WE WERE INTERVIEWED BY THE FIRE DEPT AND THEN RELEASED.

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.