Lufthansa A343 at Chicago on Sep 28th 2015, fumes injure three flight attendants

Last Update: June 27, 2016 / 14:40:38 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Lufthansa D-AIGT, Airbus A340-300 — Lufthansa D-AIGT, Airbus A340-300 (Photo credit: lkarasawa / Flickr / License: CC by)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Sep 28, 2015

Classification
Accident

Airline
Lufthansa

Flight number
LH-437

Departure
Chicago O'Hare, United States

Destination
Dusseldorf, Germany

Aircraft Registration
D-AIGT

Aircraft Type
Airbus A340-300

ICAO Type Designator
A343

A Lufthansa Airbus A340-300, registration D-AIGT performing flight LH-437 (dep Sep 27th) from Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA) to Dusseldorf (Germany), was departing Chicago, when cabin crew in the aft cabin felt like lack of air with the aircraft still on the ground with all four flight attendants in the area suffering, and contacted the cockpit. A short time later the situation improved. One flight attendant felt near unconscious, another flight attendant felt incapacitated (see below for more details), another flight attendant complained about racing heart and headache worsening to a point, where that flight attendant was unable to continue duties for the remainder of the flight. The aircraft continued to Dusseldorf for a safe landing (Sep 28th). The incapacitated flight attendant was taken care of by medical staff.

The occurrence aircraft continued its schedule normally.

A flight attendant, who had already been involved in three prior fume events, see Accident: Lufthansa A321 near Berlin on Jun 7th 2013, three flight attendants injured by fumes and Accident: Lufthansa A320 enroute on Aug 14th 2013, three flight attendants injured by contaminated cabin air and Accident: Lufthansa A320 near Frankfurt on Aug 31st 2015, fumes injure flight attendant, felt incapacitated at Chicago but improved and was able to continue duties throughout the flight. Following landing in Dusseldorf the flight attendant developed respiratory problems with burning respiratory tract again, heart racing, dizziness, nausea, headache, problems in concentration and went to see the doctor. The doctor issued a sick leave note, that is still in effect.

Blood samples were examined, the "Zentrallabor für Arbeitsmedizin und Maritime Medizin" (central laboratoy for work and maritime medicine) in Hamburg found 2-Butanon, n-Heptane, Isohexane, Isopropanol, n-Hexane, n-Octane and n-Decane in concentrations seriously above normal.

On Jun 24th 2016 the BFU reported that the events of Aug 14th 2013, Aug 31st 2015 and Sep 28th 2015 have been merged, with this merge the conditions have been created to collect further information.