Safety First - Aircrew, Ground Personnel and Passengers
by Peterlyn Thomas
The ATSB collects and analyses data from accidents and incidents
involving aircrew, ground personnel and passenger safety. In this
issue of the ATSB Supplement, a selection of Australian cabin
safety occurrence briefs are summarised and one from the
Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
Photographs of the burnt out Saudi Arabian Airlines Lockheed
Tristar at Riyadh on 19 August 1980 following an emergency landing.
All 287 passengers and 14 crew on board died from smoke inhalation
from a fire in the aft cargo hold which started shortly after
takeoff. Despite the successful landing the crew were unable to
open the doors. Emergency services took 20 minutes to open one
door. A serious breakdown of crew coordination was cited as one of
the significant factors in the disaster.
Source: www.airdisaster.com
This report from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada
(A99AO046) highlights the need for continued care and vigilance in
the use of ground-handling equipment to ensure safe movement to and
from aircraft for passengers, aircrew and ground personnel.
In March 1999 a five year-old child was injured during
disembarkation from a B767 at a Canadian airport. The aircraft was
parked on the open ramp away from an aerobridge.
After the first 10 passengers had left the aircraft a flight
attendant exited the aircraft carrying an infant in a car seat.
When the flight attendant stepped on to the passenger stand he
noticed it was descending slowly away from the aircraft. As he
turned to tell the in-charge flight attendant, the infants five
year-old brother, who was following with his mother, stepped out of
the aircraft and fell between it and the stairs to the apron below.
The child suffered a broken arm and lacerations to the head in the
fall and was taken to hospital for treatment and observation.
The
locking mechanism used to hold the upper stairs in position is a
fairly simple mechanical device. The pawl that prevents the stairs
from descending is held in place against the dog rail by a spring
and released by energising a solenoid. In this occurrence the pawl
had only partially engaged the dog rail and after several
passengers had travelled over the stairs had slipped off. This
allowed the upper stairs to descend away from the aircraft.
According to the report it was unclear whether this was due to a
weakness in the spring, a mechanical resistance in the mechanism or
a combination of both. In any case proper functioning of the
locking mechanism was impeded.
Investigation findings:
The locking mechanism was not functioning properly and as a
consequence disengaged and allowed the upper stairs to descend away
from the aircraft. There was no policy in place requiring the
passenger stand operator to do a close visual inspection of the
locking mechanism to ensure full engagement.
Passenger stand operators reported that they would take only a
cursory look at the locking mechanism when leaving the vehicle. Any
visual inspection would have been impeded because the pawl, the dog
rail, and the background were all painted the same dark green
colour and on this particular vehicle a support brace impeded the
operators view. Operators of the passenger stand reported that they
had not received formal training on the operation of the
equipment.
Other contributing factors to the occurrence were the failure to
follow the maintenance schedule and the absence of a requirement to
visually inspect the locking mechanism of the passenger stand
before use.
Safety action taken:
Since
the occurrence the company has completed a comprehensive inspection
of all company passenger stands. All pawl mechanisms were painted
in contrasting colours to facilitate determination of the pawl
position and support braces were relocated to prevent the
impediment of the operators view of the pawl. All airstairs units
were put on a weekly follow-up routine to ensure all checks are
completed on time.
The company, the TSB and the Canadian regulator Transport
Canada, have disseminated details of the occurrence to local and
international air transport operators regulators and industry
associations to alert other operators using similar equipment of
the potential for injury and the steps that may be taken to avoid
similar occurrences.
Occ No. 200100741, 22 February 2001
At top of descent to Los Angeles the cabin crew of a Boeing 747
aircraft reported smoke and fumes emanating from the cabin ceiling
located in the vicinity of the rear right side (R5) emergency exit
door. Smouldering paper tissues were found in an overhead light
fitting. Cabin crew removed the tissues and discharged a fire
extinguisher onto the light fitting, tissues and surrounding area.
The cabin crew remained in the vicinity and monitored the area
until passengers disembarked at Los Angeles.
The company reported that the light fitting is a night light and
is always on. The light has a blue plastic cover that should always
be in place and which was not fitted on this occasion.
The investigation was unable to determine why or who placed the
tissues in the light fitting.
Safety action:
The company issued an Important Information bulletin to flight
attendants advising that any visible cabin light fitting must have
a protective grill or glass covering the bulb.
Occ no. 200104168, 21 August 2001
During the cruise the passenger seated in 56C was warned several
times for lighting cigarettes. Most cigarettes were extinguished
and confiscated by the crew but one was dropped and ignited a
blanket. The cabin crewmembers were quick to extinguish the
smouldering blanket. The passenger was off-loaded in Bangkok.
Occ No. 200104464, 5 Sept 2001
During a flight between Melbourne and Sydney a smouldering fire
was detected and extinguished in the waste bin of the aft toilet of
the aircraft. A particular passenger was strongly suspected of
smoking in the toilets during flight and the pilot in command
requested that security staff meet the aircraft upon arrival in
Sydney. The aircraft landed without further incident.
Occ No. 200103578, 10 July 2001
The aircraft was on climb passing FL200 when a passenger
sustained a head injury from a bottle of liquor that was
accidentally dropped from an overhead locker by another passenger
who was removing a piece of luggage. The injury was treated
immediately by the cabin crew to stop the blood flow. A paramedical
team met the aircraft on arrival at Rome.
Occ No. 200103478, 15 July 2001
During disembarkation a passenger was struck on the head by a
metal scooter that fell from on overhead storage bin. The passenger
received a bleeding cut to the head, was given first aid and
attended by the Rescue Fire Fighting Service. The passenger was
later transported to a local medical centre for treatment.
Occ No. 200100393, 24 Jan 2001
During the cruise cabin crew were required to abruptly cease
cabin service when the flight crew turned on the fasten seat belt
sign due to severe turbulence associated with thunderstorm
activity. They were not able to secure the cabin prior to landing
and as a result the aircraft landed with the cabin insecure. The
pilot in command reported later that he did not consider it safe to
turn the sign off during the descent.
Occ No. 200103943, 8 August 2001
During the cruise a passenger seated in 20C was struck on the
head by a plastic bottle full of water, which had been stored in
the overhead locker by a cabin crew member. The passenger later
collapsed, became ill and required medical attention. An ambulance
was organised to meet the aircraft on arrival at Darwin.
Occ No. 199902180, 24 April 1999
The aircraft was cleared for takeoff when the flight attendant
advised the pilot that a cat had escaped from a cage in the cargo
hold and was loose in the cabin. The flight attendant locked the
cat in the toilet while the pilot returned the aircraft to the
ramp. The cat was removed through the toilet door without further
incident.
Occ No. 200102090, 3 May 2001
During the cruise the crew noticed smoke in a rear toilet. The
cabin crew found a smouldering tissue box that appeared to have
been used to extinguish a cigarette and then water used to
extinguish the potential fire. At the time the no smoking sign was
extinguished.