A B737-800 captain injured himself on the HUD during his preflight at ord, but continued the flight ...

Attributes
ACN	614790
Time
Date	200404
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	614790
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During cockpit preflight preparation, and test-deploying the HUD, my left index finger somehow became entwined in the HUD mechanism as it was being pulled down to test. Caused damage to my finger and nail, tearing and ripping it under the nail and almost 1/2 of the circumference of my finger. It bled and hurt quite a bit, but the flight attendant got the first aid kit and I applied first aid to myself. Flew the rest of sequence with no problems. Medical office not open early enough coming in from all-nighter, so I went home and then went to medical for examination and tetanus shot by nurse. We were cautioned during training about HUD injury hazard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 CAPT INJURED HIMSELF ON THE HUD DURING HIS PREFLT AT ORD, BUT CONTINUED THE FLT TO DEST.

Narrative: DURING COCKPIT PREFLT PREPARATION, AND TEST-DEPLOYING THE HUD, MY L INDEX FINGER SOMEHOW BECAME ENTWINED IN THE HUD MECHANISM AS IT WAS BEING PULLED DOWN TO TEST. CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY FINGER AND NAIL, TEARING AND RIPPING IT UNDER THE NAIL AND ALMOST 1/2 OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF MY FINGER. IT BLED AND HURT QUITE A BIT, BUT THE FLT ATTENDANT GOT THE FIRST AID KIT AND I APPLIED FIRST AID TO MYSELF. FLEW THE REST OF SEQUENCE WITH NO PROBS. MEDICAL OFFICE NOT OPEN EARLY ENOUGH COMING IN FROM ALL-NIGHTER, SO I WENT HOME AND THEN WENT TO MEDICAL FOR EXAM AND TETANUS SHOT BY NURSE. WE WERE CAUTIONED DURING TRAINING ABOUT HUD INJURY HAZARD.

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.

A B737-800 captain injured himself on the HUD during his preflight at ord, but continued the flight to destination.