A319
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction; Physiological - Other; Troubleshooting; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Maintenance Action; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Company Policy; Human Factors; Aircraft
On the climb out we noticed a faint strange odor that neither of us had smelled before. It was shortly after we had reconfigured the airplane at thrust reduction. We had used the APU for takeoff due to the rain and having the extract P/B in the override position. It was slightly sweet; and sort of like melted plastic. It was very brief and went away entirely. I realized that it was the airplane that had had numerous fume events. Out of an abundance of caution we reviewed the smoke/fumes procedures in the QRH. We continued on and verified that the flight attendants had not smelled it. On the last portion of the descent we started to smell it again. It started off very faint and didn't affect us especially. We both focused on the final approach; as neither of us had ever been there. After landing; we got a call from the flight attendants telling us that the A and C flight attendants and first two rows of the cabin were smelling the fumes. We started the APU and turned on the APU bleed to get a different bleed source. After we had parked at the gate and opened the door we discussed what had happened with the flight attendants. They started smelling the fumes just before I told them to take their seats for landing. None of the passengers were still complaining about the smell and everyone seemed fine overall. The First Officer (FO) and I both had a slight headache and our throats were a little sore. We deplaned normally and started cleaning the airplane. I discussed the situation with the flight attendants and the B said that she was starting to feel a strong headache and sore throat. She had been on the airplane previously and had to go to an urgent care center to get checked out. She wanted to go get checked out again.Our C Flight Attendant (FA) also wanted to get checked out; especially because she is pregnant. We all started feeling light headed; headaches; sore throats; and a couple of us felt it in our lungs. I wrote it up in the logbook and called Maintenance. I turned off the APU and we left the airplane quickly. I called the duty phone and explained the situation and that at least three of us needed to get checked out. We all ended up going to the Hospital where all of us were checked out. The medical staff noted inflamed throats; gave the appropriate prescriptions and cleared us. We all returned the next day to do our scheduled flight. All of us still had lingering symptoms of sore throats and I still do. I've heard this aircraft has had numerous fume events ever since the #1 engine was overhauled. The company/maintenance should be more aggressive with troubleshooting; so that we don't get the same bad situation over and over. Once again only looking at the bottom line; has put many crews and passengers in harms way. In hindsight; we could have completed the smoke/fumes checklist at the gate; but I don't believe it would have had much impact; as everyone had already been exposed to the fumes. Because it went away quickly in the climb; we assumed it would be short-lived during the descent. We weren't aware it was in the cabin right away and where it was coming from.
An A319 Captain reported detecting a faint; strange; sweet odor during after takeoff and again during approach. Both pilots and two flight attendants reported being light headed with headaches and sore throats for which they received medical attention. Number one engine had recently been overhauled.