What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-5) On December 1, 1999, at 16:28 local time, delta airlines flight #1940, a MD-88 airplane, was enroute from cincinnati, oh (cvg), to providence rhode island (pvd), and made a diversion to the Pittsburgh international airport (pit). The diversion was made because of fumes in the cabin area and several passengers were complaining of headache and nausea. The flight landed at (pit), and taxied to the gate without incident where passengers were treated and released by paramedics. Maintenance personnel inspected the airplane at (pit) to find a chemical deodorizer smell in the aft section of the airplane that could have been the source of the fumes. The airplane was then ferried to cincinnati for further inspection and repair. Cardinal laboratories, inc., cincinnati, oh performed an intensive mass spectrometer analysis of the carpets to determine if this was the source of fumes that caused the passengers to become ill. Chief chemist, dominic d. ruschman, of cardinal laboratories, inc. performed the analysis and stated the following in his report. I am not questioning wheter someone became ill. Whether or not someone became ill does not rest within the parameters of my investigation. It does rest within the scope of this investigation to conclude that the carpets were not responsible for, nor capable of causation of illness. This investigation has not yet concluded the reasons why the passengers of delta flight #1940 became ill. As additional information is received at this office, it will be promptly forwarded to the region as an amendment to this form. Supportive documentation to this 8020-23 is also enclosed.
As the FAA filed it
(-5) ON DECEMBER 1, 1999, AT 16:28 LOCAL TIME, DELTA AIRLINES FLIGHT #1940, A MD-88 AIRPLANE, WAS ENROUTE FROM CINCINNATI, OH (CVG), TO PROVIDENCE RHODE ISLAND (PVD), AND MADE A DIVERSION TO THE PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PIT). THE DIVERSION WAS MADE BECAUSE OF FUMES IN THE CABIN AREA AND SEVERAL PASSENGERS WERE COMPLAINING OF HEADACHE AND NAUSEA. THE FLIGHT LANDED AT (PIT), AND TAXIED TO THE GATE WITHOUT INCIDENT WHERE PASSENGERS WERE TREATED AND RELEASED BY PARAMEDICS. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE AT (PIT) TO FIND A CHEMICAL DEODORIZER SMELL IN THE AFT SECTION OF THE AIRPLANE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE SOURCE OF THE FUMES. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN FERRIED TO CINCINNATI FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND REPAIR. CARDINAL LABORATORIES, INC., CINCINNATI, OH PERFORMED AN INTENSIVE MASS SPECTROMETER ANALYSIS OF THE CARPETS TO DETERMINE IF THIS WAS THE SOURCE OF FUMES THAT CAUSED THE PASSENGERS TO BECOME ILL. CHIEF CHEMIST, DOMINIC D. RUSCHMAN, OF CARDINAL LABORATORIES, INC. PERFORMED THE ANALYSIS AND STATED THE FOLLOWING IN HIS REPORT. I AM NOT QUESTIONING WHETER SOMEONE BECAME ILL. WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE BECAME ILL DOES NOT REST WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF MY INVESTIGATION. IT DOES REST WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS INVESTIGATION TO CONCLUDE THAT THE CARPETS WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR, NOR CAPABLE OF CAUSATION OF ILLNESS. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS NOT YET CONCLUDED THE REASONS WHY THE PASSENGERS OF DELTA FLIGHT #1940 BECAME ILL. AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS RECEIVED AT THIS OFFICE, IT WILL BE PROMPTLY FORWARDED TO THE REGION AS AN AMENDMENT TO THIS FORM. SUPPORTIVE DOCUMENTATION TO THIS 8020-23 IS ALSO ENCLOSED.