Passenger caught smoking in lavatory.

Attributes
ACN	579575
Time
Date	200304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zau.artcc
State Reference	IL
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc tower : las.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 34 flight attendant time total : 34 flight attendant time type : 10
ASRS Report	579575
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : smoke detector other other : cab 1
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

A female passenger went into r-hand aft lavatory, and a few mins later the smoke alarm started chiming. I immediately went to the lavatory and banged on the door. She opened the door and was visibly shaken at the sound of the chime. I asked her 'where is the cigarette?' and she said 'I put it out in the ashtray on the door.' I verified it was in there, and asked if that was the only one she had lit up, and she said yes. I told her smoking was forbidden on airplanes, and told her to take her seat. I proceeded to check the lavatory for smoldering or another cigarette or match. I found nothing. I notified the captain and told him what had happened -- he said he would file a report, and I said I would file an in-flight disturbance report. When I got home, I filled in the report for the captain to sign and gave the passenger a copy. She gave me all the information I needed as was cooperative. I told her she was in violation of a federal law. She said she understood, and said she'd never do it again. She posed no problem for the rest of the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX CAUGHT SMOKING IN LAVATORY.

Narrative: A FEMALE PAX WENT INTO R-HAND AFT LAVATORY, AND A FEW MINS LATER THE SMOKE ALARM STARTED CHIMING. I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE LAVATORY AND BANGED ON THE DOOR. SHE OPENED THE DOOR AND WAS VISIBLY SHAKEN AT THE SOUND OF THE CHIME. I ASKED HER 'WHERE IS THE CIGARETTE?' AND SHE SAID 'I PUT IT OUT IN THE ASHTRAY ON THE DOOR.' I VERIFIED IT WAS IN THERE, AND ASKED IF THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE SHE HAD LIT UP, AND SHE SAID YES. I TOLD HER SMOKING WAS FORBIDDEN ON AIRPLANES, AND TOLD HER TO TAKE HER SEAT. I PROCEEDED TO CHK THE LAVATORY FOR SMOLDERING OR ANOTHER CIGARETTE OR MATCH. I FOUND NOTHING. I NOTIFIED THE CAPT AND TOLD HIM WHAT HAD HAPPENED -- HE SAID HE WOULD FILE A RPT, AND I SAID I WOULD FILE AN INFLT DISTURBANCE RPT. WHEN I GOT HOME, I FILLED IN THE RPT FOR THE CAPT TO SIGN AND GAVE THE PAX A COPY. SHE GAVE ME ALL THE INFO I NEEDED AS WAS COOPERATIVE. I TOLD HER SHE WAS IN VIOLATION OF A FEDERAL LAW. SHE SAID SHE UNDERSTOOD, AND SAID SHE'D NEVER DO IT AGAIN. SHE POSED NO PROB FOR THE REST OF THE FLT.

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.