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A B747-400 first officer on an int'l flight over the north atlantic choked on a tine that broke off from the plastic fork he was using.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 803280 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200809 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : zzzzz |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 34800 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B747-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : relief pilot |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 10000 |
| ASRS Report | 803280 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
While eating my crew meal; I inadvertently had a partial airway obstruction due to a broken tine off of the plastic fork we receive to eat our crew meals with. It often occurs that these break off; but this time I didn't notice it until it became partially lodged in my throat. I was able to dislodge it by coughing forcefully. It occurs to me that since others are eating their meals with metal utensils; we should; too; especially when safety is taken into account. I can't imagine it being less expensive to use plastic ware that is disposed of than to wash silverware; but costly or not; safety is more important.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B747-400 FO ON AN INT'L FLT OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC CHOKED ON A TINE THAT BROKE OFF FROM THE PLASTIC FORK HE WAS USING.
Narrative: WHILE EATING MY CREW MEAL; I INADVERTENTLY HAD A PARTIAL AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION DUE TO A BROKEN TINE OFF OF THE PLASTIC FORK WE RECEIVE TO EAT OUR CREW MEALS WITH. IT OFTEN OCCURS THAT THESE BREAK OFF; BUT THIS TIME I DIDN'T NOTICE IT UNTIL IT BECAME PARTIALLY LODGED IN MY THROAT. I WAS ABLE TO DISLODGE IT BY COUGHING FORCEFULLY. IT OCCURS TO ME THAT SINCE OTHERS ARE EATING THEIR MEALS WITH METAL UTENSILS; WE SHOULD; TOO; ESPECIALLY WHEN SAFETY IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. I CAN'T IMAGINE IT BEING LESS EXPENSIVE TO USE PLASTIC WARE THAT IS DISPOSED OF THAN TO WASH SILVERWARE; BUT COSTLY OR NOT; SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.