Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Training / Qualification; Time Pressure; Physiological - Other; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Flight departed and after takeoff we smelled a strange odor. After 10;000 FT the flight attendants called and said they were experiencing a very strong odor that was causing breathing problems and eye discomfort especially in the aft cabin. We donned our oxygen masks and immediately the Flight Attendant called back reported that one flight attendant had been involved in a previous situation with the same smell. At this time I elected to return to the departure airport. We proceeded with our checklist and returned for an overweight landing. The flight attendants said that unless we had not returned we would have had a lot of sick people. I asked for medical staff to meet the aircraft to check our flight attendants and any passengers that may require assistance. I do not know how to prevent this from reoccurring as this is an ongoing problem. I do have some comments as to issues we had dealing with this situation. 1- We had a lot of trouble with our oxygen masks. We all had trouble with the mask hitting our reading glasses. I tried taking mine off but this did not work as I did need them. My mask had smudges on the shield which made reading checklists and seeing the PFD very hard. During landing I had to remove my mask so I could see to land. Not good if heavy smoke had been present. 2- Communication with ATC; Flight Attendant; [and] Dispatch was very hard. We were confused by the toggle switch that is used for talking while using the masks. This took several minutes before we correctly used the switch. Having to turn your head to find the switch did not help. Boeing's switch on the yoke is better in that looking for switch is not required. 3- When using the oxygen mask all communication comes over the cockpit speakers. This made it very hard to hear. At times ATC was blocked by other communications with flight attendants and Dispatch. We found the only way to deal with this was to don our headsets over our masks. We adapted but this took time and caused confusion. 4- I feel we need more training using the oxygen masks. The simulator scenarios we have previously used did not simulate all the calls from ATC; flight attendants; and Dispatch simultaneously. It is very hard to create a scenario in the simulator with real life confusion. Communication was the biggest problem!
The Reporter stated that the oil leak was serious enough that the pilots were feeling physical effects exhibited as a tight feeling throat. He was unable to describe the odor except to say it was like no other odor he has experience before. It was not the typical dirty socks smell but none the less; very distinctive. He was told by a Mechanic several days later that the aircraft was test flown and grounded by test pilots for the same odor which forced a maintenance examination of the aircraft where the worn engine bearing was found.
An A330 returned to the departure airport after the pilots and flight attendants detected a strange odor. Maintenance determined that oil leaking around a worn engine bearing was entering the compressor section and then the air conditioning. The flight crew had great difficulty with ATC and other communications because of the oxygen masks.