A flight attendant was injured after tripping on a headset cord while she was dealing with effluent ...

Attributes
ACN	644434
Time
Date	200501
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 15000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	644434
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During the descent for approach into ord; flight attendant tripped on a headset cord and fell; injuring her wrist and head. The purser notified us after landing. While taxiing in to the gate the 'bunky' notified dispatch of the incident and requested a flight attendant supervisor meet the aircraft. I talked to the flight attendant after the flight and while she appeared to be in some pain; her injuries did not seem to be serious. Possibly contributing to this incident; the purser told me that the injured flight attendant was busy placing blankets around the bottom of one of the lavs because the lav had backed up into the sink and effluent was running out under the lav door. Apparently; she tripped on the headset cord while dealing with the brown liquid coming out from under the lav door. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this is a recurring problem on the B777. This reporter has had two occurences within the last month and two on previous occasions. Discussions with maintenance after landing revealed that there is a valve in the waste system that sticks; causing the backup. It is usually freed by tapping on the valve. The lav involved in this case was business class. Previous occurences were either business or first class.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLT ATTENDANT WAS INJURED AFTER TRIPPING ON A HEADSET CORD WHILE SHE WAS DEALING WITH EFFLUENT FROM THE LAV THAT HAD BACKED UP INTO THE SINK; OVERFLOWING AND RUNNING OUT THE LAV DOOR.

Narrative: DURING THE DSCNT FOR APCH INTO ORD; FLT ATTENDANT TRIPPED ON A HEADSET CORD AND FELL; INJURING HER WRIST AND HEAD. THE PURSER NOTIFIED US AFTER LNDG. WHILE TAXIING IN TO THE GATE THE 'BUNKY' NOTIFIED DISPATCH OF THE INCIDENT AND REQUESTED A FLT ATTENDANT SUPERVISOR MEET THE ACFT. I TALKED TO THE FLT ATTENDANT AFTER THE FLT AND WHILE SHE APPEARED TO BE IN SOME PAIN; HER INJURIES DID NOT SEEM TO BE SERIOUS. POSSIBLY CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT; THE PURSER TOLD ME THAT THE INJURED FLT ATTENDANT WAS BUSY PLACING BLANKETS AROUND THE BOTTOM OF ONE OF THE LAVS BECAUSE THE LAV HAD BACKED UP INTO THE SINK AND EFFLUENT WAS RUNNING OUT UNDER THE LAV DOOR. APPARENTLY; SHE TRIPPED ON THE HEADSET CORD WHILE DEALING WITH THE BROWN LIQUID COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE LAV DOOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS IS A RECURRING PROB ON THE B777. THIS RPTR HAS HAD TWO OCCURENCES WITHIN THE LAST MONTH AND TWO ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS. DISCUSSIONS WITH MAINT AFTER LNDG REVEALED THAT THERE IS A VALVE IN THE WASTE SYSTEM THAT STICKS; CAUSING THE BACKUP. IT IS USUALLY FREED BY TAPPING ON THE VALVE. THE LAV INVOLVED IN THIS CASE WAS BUSINESS CLASS. PREVIOUS OCCURENCES WERE EITHER BUSINESS OR FIRST CLASS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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 flight attendant was injured after tripping on a headset cord while she was dealing with effluent from the lav that had backed up into the sink; overflowing and running out the lav door.