<< >> NASA ASRS Report 673708, August 2005

An A320 flight attendant reports that a passenger lit a match in the lav activating the fire alarm that was heard locally but not throughout the aircraft or in cockpit.

Attributes
ACN	673708
Time
Date	200508
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
ASRS Report	673708
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event : passenger misconduct other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : lav smoke detector
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Flight attendant #3 responded to aft lav fire alarm. Called me; flight attendant #1; to assist. Passenger had lit match in aft lav which set alarm off; (my concern) cockpit doesn't hear alarm. (He did so to cover smell from using the facility.) was embarrassed. Flight attendant explained consequences of what could have happened. I checked extinguisher to see if it had gone off (did not); and poured water in trash bin making sure it was out. Passenger went back to his seat. My concern is that we did not hear the alarm throughout the plane nor was there any indication to the cockpit. What if we were overcome by smoke or fire? Situation needs to be addressed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLT ATTENDANT RPTS THAT A PAX LIT A MATCH IN THE LAV ACTIVATING THE FIRE ALARM THAT WAS HEARD LOCALLY BUT NOT THROUGHOUT THE ACFT OR IN COCKPIT.

Narrative: FLT ATTENDANT #3 RESPONDED TO AFT LAV FIRE ALARM. CALLED ME; FLT ATTENDANT #1; TO ASSIST. PAX HAD LIT MATCH IN AFT LAV WHICH SET ALARM OFF; (MY CONCERN) COCKPIT DOESN'T HEAR ALARM. (HE DID SO TO COVER SMELL FROM USING THE FACILITY.) WAS EMBARRASSED. FLT ATTENDANT EXPLAINED CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. I CHKED EXTINGUISHER TO SEE IF IT HAD GONE OFF (DID NOT); AND POURED WATER IN TRASH BIN MAKING SURE IT WAS OUT. PAX WENT BACK TO HIS SEAT. MY CONCERN IS THAT WE DID NOT HEAR THE ALARM THROUGHOUT THE PLANE NOR WAS THERE ANY INDICATION TO THE COCKPIT. WHAT IF WE WERE OVERCOME BY SMOKE OR FIRE? SIT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

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.