NTSB · Safety Recommendation
Safety Recommendation A-00-057
Recommendation
THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT NORTHWEST AIRLINES, INC.: AMEND YOUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES AND TRAINING TO INCLUDE NOTIFICATION TO PILOTS IN FLIGHT WHEN BAGGAGE AND CARGO THAT ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILL HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THEIR AIRCRAFT; NOTIFYING THE PILOTS INCLUDES CLEARLY IDENTIFYING THE HAZARDS POSED BY THE MATERIAL INVOLVED IN THE SPILL AND THE PROCEDURES THAT THE PILOTS SHOULD TAKE.
Safety Issue and Context
ON THE MORNING OF 10/28/98, 2 GALLONS OF A 35-PERCENT HYDROGEN PEROXIDE SOLUTION IN WATER, AN OXIDIZER WITH CORROSIVE PROPERTIES, SPILLED IN A CARGO COMPARTMENT OF NORTHWEST AIRLINES (NORTHWEST) FLIGHT 957, A PASSENGER-CARRYING AIRPLANE EN ROUTE FROM ORLANDO, FLORIDA, TO MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. THE SOLUTION LEAKED FROM TWO UNDECLARED 1-GALLON PLASTIC BOTTLES THAT HAD SPLIT. THE BOTTLES WERE IN AN ICE CHEST THAT BELONGED TO A PASSENGER ON THE FLIGHT. THE LEAKING HYDROGEN PEROXIDE CONTAMINATED THREE MAIL SACKS AND AN UNDETERMINED NUMBER OF BAGS.
Response History
January 5, 2001 · NTSB Correspondence · Northwest Airlines, Inc.
NWA'S ACTION IS FULLY RESPONSIVE TO A-00-57, WHICH IS NOW CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."
September 29, 2000 · Recipient Response · Northwest Airlines, Inc.
Letter Mail Controlled 10/02/2000 3:14:52 PM MC# 2001436 NORTHWEST AIRLINES HAS CREATED THE OVERALL DANGEROUS GOODS POLICY AND COMPLIANCE GUIDE REFERRED TO IN OUR RESPONSE TO A-00-56 ABOVE. THIS DGCG HAS A SPECIFIC SECTION IN THAT MANUAL - NYDG-12 THAT SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUE OF NOTIFYING FLIGHT CREWS, EITHER ON THE GROUND OR AIRBORNE, OF THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTAMINATED BAGGAGE AND/OR CARGO ABOARD THEIR AIRCRAFT AND GUIDANCE ON HOW THEY SHOULD RESPOND TO SUCH INFORMATION (SEE ATTACHMENT 2). ATTACHMENT 2: WHENEVER ANY PACKAGE IS LEAKING OR EMITTING ODORS, MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LOCATE AND STOP SIMILAR PACKAGES IN THE SAME SHIPMENT FROM THE SAME SHIPPER.
FURTHERMORE, ENSURE THAT ALL PIECES OF LUGGAGE, CARGO OR COMAT, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN SURROUNDING THE SOURCE OF THE SPILLED MATERIAL IS ACCOUNTED FOR. IF THE ABOVE POSSIBLE CONTAMINATED LUGGAGE OR CARGO HAS ALREADY BEEN TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER FLIGHT, HAVE THE COCKPIT CREW OF THAT FLIGHT NOTIFIED ASAP AND GROUND-STOPPED UNTIL IT CAN BE ASCERTAINED IF THE POSSIBLY CONTAMINATED PIECES ARE ABOARD THEIR AIRCRAFT AND HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
IF THE FLIGHT WITH POSSIBLY CONTAMINATED TRANSFER PIECES IS AIRBORNE, NOTIFY THE SOC DUTY DIRECTOR IMMEDIATELY WITH PERTINENT DATA REGARDING THE FLIGHT AND HAVE THEM NOTIFY THE CREW SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE A JOINT DECISION AS TO WHAT COURSE OF ACTION THE CAPTAIN SHOULD TAKE.