Pilot passed out as ‘sweaty socks’ fumes filled BA airliner cockpit
A BRITISH Airways pilot passed out from fumes in the cockpit while flying towards Heathrow, forcing his captain to take over and land, a leaked report has revealed.
The Air Safety Report for the airline said the captain had to issue a mayday report as his pilot became “unresponsive” when the smell of “sweaty socks” filled the cabin.
The report, leaked to the BBC, said the captain was able to put on an oxygen mask and land flight BA633 from Athens safely on Jan 2, during what is known as a fume event.
It comes as the air industry is coming under increasing pressure to investigate alleged incidents of “aerotoxicity” syndrome, where engine fumes seep into planes’ air conditioning systems.
In an investigation by BBC Radio 4’s File on 4, which aired last night, a former pilot, who is taking part in legal action against airlines, accused them of sweeping the issue “under the carpet”, saying he had experienced five serious fume events.
The High Court is due to hear a series of cases brought by the Unite union against five UK airlines. The airlines subject to the action, including British Airways, easyjet and Virgin Atlantic, have argued that “none of the substantial research conducted over many years” had shown a link between cabin air quality and ill health.
Following the BBC investigation, Dai Whittingham, the head of the UK Flight Safety Committee, which represents all the major airlines, said it was “nigh on
‘[The report] was published on our corporate system, plus it has been shared with all the safety bodies’
impossible” to stop all fumes bleeding into planes. He said: “I don’t believe any of the operators are ignoring what is going on but it is very difficult as an operator when you are faced with something that you cannot detect after the event.”
“Aerotoxicity” syndrome is when people are exposed to organophosphates, which are also found in pesticides. One family who fear their son may have been affected was that of Matt Bass, an easyjet steward who died suddenly in his sleep aged 34. His parents Fiona and Charlie told the BBC that he had suffered fatigue, digestive problems and nausea in the run-up to his death in 2014.
Although a coroner found no link between his death and his work, a second post mortem examination paid for by his parents found he had had “significant exposure to organophosphates”. The Daily Telegraph has contacted easyjet for comment.
A British Airways spokesman said: “It’s not a confidential report – it was published on our corporate system, so available to staff, plus it has been shared with all the safety bodies in the usual way.”
Dr Sarah Mackenzie Ross, a consultant clinical neuropsychologist from University College London, said: “The absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence.”
The Civil Aviation Authority said: “On the basis of an assessment of the published scientific research evidence, including research commissioned by the Government and the EU, we have concluded that there is no positive evidence of a link between exposure to contaminants in cabin air and any longterm health effects, although such a link cannot be excluded.”