Narrative:

While attempting to skewer a piece of lettuce with my crew meal fork; the fork shattered into at least 4 pieces. 2 of the pieces ended up in my salad; and 1 piece flew off of the fork; striking me in the face about 3/4 inch below my left eye. The piece was sharp enough and hit with enough velocity to cause a small red welt below my eye. If the shard had hit my eye; I don't think the results would have been favorable to my vision. This is not the first time that I have had a fork break; but it does seem to be a chronic problem with the forks that are now supplied with the crew meals. It should go without saying that loss of an eye would be a career ending injury for a pilot; and safety goggles should not be required with a crew meal.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIR CARRIER PILOT REPORTS THAT A PLASTIC FORK BROKE AS HE WAS ATTEMPTING PICK UP A SALAD PIECE HITTING HIM JUST BELOW THE EYE.

Narrative: WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SKEWER A PIECE OF LETTUCE WITH MY CREW MEAL FORK; THE FORK SHATTERED INTO AT LEAST 4 PIECES. 2 OF THE PIECES ENDED UP IN MY SALAD; AND 1 PIECE FLEW OFF OF THE FORK; STRIKING ME IN THE FACE ABOUT 3/4 INCH BELOW MY L EYE. THE PIECE WAS SHARP ENOUGH AND HIT WITH ENOUGH VELOCITY TO CAUSE A SMALL RED WELT BELOW MY EYE. IF THE SHARD HAD HIT MY EYE; I DON'T THINK THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN FAVORABLE TO MY VISION. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE HAD A FORK BREAK; BUT IT DOES SEEM TO BE A CHRONIC PROB WITH THE FORKS THAT ARE NOW SUPPLIED WITH THE CREW MEALS. IT SHOULD GO WITHOUT SAYING THAT LOSS OF AN EYE WOULD BE A CAREER ENDING INJURY FOR A PLT; AND SAFETY GOGGLES SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED WITH A CREW MEAL.

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.