On 23 November 2007, a Boeing Company 767-338, registered VH-OGG, was being operated on a scheduled passenger service between Sydney, NSW and Melbourne, Vic. On board were two flight crew, seven cabin crew and 255 passengers. The aircraft departed Sydney at 1426 Eastern Daylight-saving Time (EDT).
At about 1455, a passenger reported to a flight attendant that he could smell fumes coming from the gasper air vent above his seat. The passenger later reported that the fumes smelled like jet exhaust. The passenger became unconscious, and was administered oxygen. He regained consciousness within a few seconds of being administered oxygen. A second passenger, seated in the area, also reported feeling nauseous at the time.
The flight crew declared a state of urgency to air traffic control and began performing the 'Smoke or Fumes Air Conditioning' checklist. The aircraft landed at Melbourne Airport at 1529.
There were no other reports of adverse effects from any of the other passengers or crew on board the flight. The two affected passengers had travelled extensively by air with no previous adverse reactions. The investigation could not determine whether the passengers' symptoms were as a result of fumes in the aircraft cabin, or whether there were other unidentified medical conditions that may have contributed to the symptoms exhibited by the two passengers.
The investigation identified a non-contributory safety issue related to adherence to curing times following application of corrosion inhibiting compounds in the aircraft's cargo bays. The report details safety action taken by the operator to address this safety issue.
Download complete report [PDF
420 kb]
