Date: 201207
Aircraft: B737-300
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Reporter qualification: Flight Attendant Current
Human factors: Physiological - Other
Anomaly: Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Detector: Person Flight Attendant
When detected: Pre-flight
Result: General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Contributing factors: Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
Primary problem: Environment - Non Weather Related

Narrative: We took this aircraft on a turnover. I went to the back galley to perform security check. I opened the aft lavatory door and smelled this horrible odor that burned my nose; eyes and throat. It was a very strong; acrid odor. It smelled like a combination of ammonia and mentholatum. I have never smelled this odor before on an airplane in my 25 years of flying. The smell gave me a headache and made me nauseous to the point that I vomited in the galley trash can. I also noticed on the lavatory floor a yellowish; jelled substance that I assumed was urine; but in hindsight am wondering what it actually was. I notified my 'C' Flight Attendant who came back and experienced the same burning of the eyes; nose; and throat. I called the Captain; he came back and smelled the same smell. He called the ramp back up to clean the lavatory for us. Ramp agent came back and smelled the same odor as he was opening the aft galley door. He asked what that smell was. I asked if he had cleaned the lavatory earlier when he brought the ice and changed the trash. He said he did not go in the lavatory nor did the inbound Flight Attendant. Neither one of them noticed this odor either. Two ramp supervisors came up and noticed the odor and had no idea what it could be. We asked if there was a new blue water they were using or if they had some kind of new cleaner; they all said no and also said they had no idea what the odor was. Since both doors were open; the smell dissipated a little bit; and the Captain made the decision to go. The 'A' Flight Attendant came back and told me to do the demo from the front galley to give me a break from the smell so that's what we did. I returned to back galley for takeoff. I checked the lavatory again and the smell was back just as strong as when I first boarded the aircraft. I strapped myself in the aft jumpseat and we were cleared for departure. I don't have a clear recollection of what happened after takeoff only that I passed out on the jumpseat from the strong odor in the aft lavatory. My crew administered 02; called for a doctor; and I landed in the front row of seats with portable oxygen. I was attended to by paramedics and transported to a hospital. I remember 3 or 4 other passengers complaining about the odor on boarding; and I believe 4 passengers were treated for complications. I have never smelled any cleaning products on an airplane that came close to smelling like this. No one poured any cleaning agents on the floor of the lavatory in my presence. I did not pour any cleaning agent on the lavatory floor. This substance and odor was present when I boarded the aircraft. I was unable to get any witness information or the doctor information since I was basically incoherent. I was met at the hospital by a HAZMAT team in full hazmat gear. I was required to take a decontamination shower in the presence of a nurse. My clothes; luggage; phone; and all personal items were bagged and checked for contamination. Several tests and procedures were performed on me. I was released about 7 or 8 hours later. This was not lav spray or cleaning solvent as reported by my company. This was a definite chemical odor that burned my nose; throat; eyes; and made me vomit! I have been around lavatory spray for 25 years; I know the difference. I did not spray any lavatory cleaner or freshener in the aft lavatory nor did the Ramp Agent or supervisors who came up to inspect. This chemical/odor was present when I boarded the aircraft!

Callback: The Reporter stated the odor was similar to a combination of ammonia and mentholatum. She experienced burning eyes; nose and throat. There is a complex set of circumstances which do not allow pin pointing any single cause for her physical response. The flight attendant she relieved during the crew change had not detected any foreign odor or substance prior to deplaning; and she inspected the lavatory ensuring all passengers had deplaned. The substance which she believes was the source of the odor was a thick yellow liquid; similar to dried urine; which is not unusual on aircraft floors. An Emergency Room blood test did reveal exposure to some foreign substance but she is not certain what chemicals were detected. She is aware of TCP but did not know if it had been detected in the aircraft's air conditioning systems. She found it interesting that while at the hospital ER her Company called to say that cleaning fluid was discovered to be the odor's source and subsequently a Company representative collected her clothing and luggage before the HAZMAT crew could examine them for contaminants. The cleaning crew had not been into that lavatory during the turn around. On the day of this call back; she continued have a constant low grade headache. When asked if she was aware of the effects of TCP she responded that she had heard about TCP but did not know the consequences of exposure to it.



Synopsis: A B737 Flight Attendant became unconscious in flight after experiencing a strong odor in an aft lavatory during preflight and again after takeoff.