Narrative:

A customer notified us that the therapeutic oxygen wasn't at the proper (1 lt/hour versus 2 lt/hour). The flight attendant didn't have any procedures for her to adjust or even turn on the oxygen. I am familiar with the system; and found that the bottle was not turned on (passenger was on the oxygen with it turned off). This could have been a serious situation. Upon landing we talked to maintenance who did not seem to be familiar with the system. (Eg: the bottle seemed to have a demand regulator on it -- not a constant flow regulator. These are very different regulators with different controls.) my concern is that nobody that day (maintenance nor flight attendant) believed it was their job to turn on the oxygen. Secondly; neither were trained on or even knew about the demand regulator; the controls are different (eg; there are 2 valves; 1 for lt/hour and 1 shutoff. The shutoff valve was hard to see and harder to reach. The lt/hour gauge made it appear that the main valve was open because it was a demand regulator -- there was still pressure in the line even though the main valve was turned off).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PILOT REPORTS A DILUTER DEMAND OXYGEN BOTTLE WAS BEING USED BY A PAX IN THE OFF POSITION AND FA DID NOT KNOW HOW TO OPEN IT.

Narrative: A CUSTOMER NOTIFIED US THAT THE THERAPEUTIC OXYGEN WASN'T AT THE PROPER (1 LT/HR VERSUS 2 LT/HR). THE FLT ATTENDANT DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROCS FOR HER TO ADJUST OR EVEN TURN ON THE OXYGEN. I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE SYS; AND FOUND THAT THE BOTTLE WAS NOT TURNED ON (PAX WAS ON THE OXYGEN WITH IT TURNED OFF). THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS SITUATION. UPON LNDG WE TALKED TO MAINT WHO DID NOT SEEM TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE SYS. (EG: THE BOTTLE SEEMED TO HAVE A DEMAND REGULATOR ON IT -- NOT A CONSTANT FLOW REGULATOR. THESE ARE VERY DIFFERENT REGULATORS WITH DIFFERENT CTLS.) MY CONCERN IS THAT NOBODY THAT DAY (MAINT NOR FLT ATTENDANT) BELIEVED IT WAS THEIR JOB TO TURN ON THE OXYGEN. SECONDLY; NEITHER WERE TRAINED ON OR EVEN KNEW ABOUT THE DEMAND REGULATOR; THE CTLS ARE DIFFERENT (EG; THERE ARE 2 VALVES; 1 FOR LT/HR AND 1 SHUTOFF. THE SHUTOFF VALVE WAS HARD TO SEE AND HARDER TO REACH. THE LT/HR GAUGE MADE IT APPEAR THAT THE MAIN VALVE WAS OPEN BECAUSE IT WAS A DEMAND REGULATOR -- THERE WAS STILL PRESSURE IN THE LINE EVEN THOUGH THE MAIN VALVE WAS TURNED OFF).

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.