Narrative:

This is a safety concern at air carrier X ATR-72 that I am reporting. The rear cargo compartments on the ATR-72 are suppose to be covered by a 'smoke curtain.' these smoke curtains are kept up by velcro and are suppose to be closed at all times during flight. Unfortunately, it does not happen that way. On over 60% of these planes, something is wrong with the velcro on these curtains. They are either old, worn, torn, broken, full of fiber so they will not hold together or all of the above. This is a potential safety hazard for the passengers, crew, as well as the aircraft. We as flight attendants are constantly informing the capts (who are in turn suppose to notify maintenance) of the problem, but nothing is ever done. What a hazard it would be if a fire broke out and the smoke screen could not stay up to contain the fire. There needs to be stronger velcro, or some other reliable method to insure safety on the ATR-72 aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the smoke curtains are held in place by velcro and are not doing the job of separating the baggage compartment from the passenger compartment. The reporter said the velcro fasteners are dirty, full of fiber, peeling and will not hold the smoke curtain. The reporter stated the curtains are reported for repair and no action is taken by maintenance.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A ATR-72 FA RPTS THE SMOKE CURTAIN SEPARATING THE PAX CAB FROM THE REAR BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT IS NOT BEING MAINTAINED IN A SAFE MANNER.

Narrative: THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AT ACR X ATR-72 THAT I AM RPTING. THE REAR CARGO COMPARTMENTS ON THE ATR-72 ARE SUPPOSE TO BE COVERED BY A 'SMOKE CURTAIN.' THESE SMOKE CURTAINS ARE KEPT UP BY VELCRO AND ARE SUPPOSE TO BE CLOSED AT ALL TIMES DURING FLT. UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOES NOT HAPPEN THAT WAY. ON OVER 60% OF THESE PLANES, SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE VELCRO ON THESE CURTAINS. THEY ARE EITHER OLD, WORN, TORN, BROKEN, FULL OF FIBER SO THEY WILL NOT HOLD TOGETHER OR ALL OF THE ABOVE. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE PASSENGERS, CREW, AS WELL AS THE ACFT. WE AS FLT ATTENDANTS ARE CONSTANTLY INFORMING THE CAPTS (WHO ARE IN TURN SUPPOSE TO NOTIFY MAINT) OF THE PROB, BUT NOTHING IS EVER DONE. WHAT A HAZARD IT WOULD BE IF A FIRE BROKE OUT AND THE SMOKE SCREEN COULD NOT STAY UP TO CONTAIN THE FIRE. THERE NEEDS TO BE STRONGER VELCRO, OR SOME OTHER RELIABLE METHOD TO INSURE SAFETY ON THE ATR-72 ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE SMOKE CURTAINS ARE HELD IN PLACE BY VELCRO AND ARE NOT DOING THE JOB OF SEPARATING THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT FROM THE PAX COMPARTMENT. THE RPTR SAID THE VELCRO FASTENERS ARE DIRTY, FULL OF FIBER, PEELING AND WILL NOT HOLD THE SMOKE CURTAIN. THE RPTR STATED THE CURTAINS ARE RPTED FOR REPAIR AND NO ACTION IS TAKEN BY MAINT.

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.