 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An MD80 flight attendant reports that during de-icing; fluid sprayed on the main cabin door penetrated the door seals and caused a slippery floor.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 690868 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200603 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pvd.airport |
| State Reference | RI |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Snow |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight attendant : on duty |
| Experience | flight attendant time airline total : 18 flight attendant time total : 18 flight attendant time type : 5 |
| ASRS Report | 690868 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event other non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
I sat on forward entry jumpseat and began demonstration PA. Aircraft was being de-iced. De-icing fluid began to pour into forward entry area around door openings. It poured down the walls; saturating. It was applied with enough force that it sprayed across the entry area (top of frame) and into the galley (about 6 ft). No one was hit with the fluid -- I was able to move quickly enough in order to not get sprayed. I informed the captain -- he said the de-icers were contract people; he informed me we were able to complete flight segment with de-icing fluid in cabin. We have had a number of complaints on the MD80 with the same problem. The de-icers are instructed to not spray directly at the doors because of this. The contractors should also be instructed on the proper procedure so that flight attendants and passenger are not coming into contact with the de-icing fluid. I mopped the forward entry door up with a blanket (they are not too absorbent) but the fluid remained (or a film on the floor) slippery for quite some time afterward. Keep in mind this is a floor level exit and a slippery floor inhibits evacuation. Therefore we have two issues to consider: 1) persons coming in contact with de-icing fluid. 2) evacuation hindrance due to slippery fluid on floor that cannot be entirely cleaned up.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD80 FLT ATTENDANT REPORTS THAT DURING DE-ICING; FLUID SPRAYED ON THE MAIN CABIN DOOR PENETRATED THE DOOR SEALS AND CAUSED A SLIPPERY FLOOR.
Narrative: I SAT ON FORWARD ENTRY JUMPSEAT AND BEGAN DEMO PA. ACFT WAS BEING DE-ICED. DE-ICING FLUID BEGAN TO POUR INTO FORWARD ENTRY AREA AROUND DOOR OPENINGS. IT POURED DOWN THE WALLS; SATURATING. IT WAS APPLIED WITH ENOUGH FORCE THAT IT SPRAYED ACROSS THE ENTRY AREA (TOP OF FRAME) AND INTO THE GALLEY (ABOUT 6 FT). NO ONE WAS HIT WITH THE FLUID -- I WAS ABLE TO MOVE QUICKLY ENOUGH IN ORDER TO NOT GET SPRAYED. I INFORMED THE CAPT -- HE SAID THE DE-ICERS WERE CONTRACT PEOPLE; HE INFORMED ME WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE FLT SEGMENT WITH DE-ICING FLUID IN CABIN. WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THE MD80 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DE-ICERS ARE INSTRUCTED TO NOT SPRAY DIRECTLY AT THE DOORS BECAUSE OF THIS. THE CONTRACTORS SHOULD ALSO BE INSTRUCTED ON THE PROPER PROC SO THAT FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX ARE NOT COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE DE-ICING FLUID. I MOPPED THE FORWARD ENTRY DOOR UP WITH A BLANKET (THEY ARE NOT TOO ABSORBENT) BUT THE FLUID REMAINED (OR A FILM ON THE FLOOR) SLIPPERY FOR QUITE SOME TIME AFTERWARD. KEEP IN MIND THIS IS A FLOOR LEVEL EXIT AND A SLIPPERY FLOOR INHIBITS EVACUATION. THEREFORE WE HAVE TWO ISSUES TO CONSIDER: 1) PERSONS COMING IN CONTACT WITH DE-ICING FLUID. 2) EVACUATION HINDRANCE DUE TO SLIPPERY FLUID ON FLOOR THAT CANNOT BE ENTIRELY CLEANED UP.
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.