What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approximately 09:15 local (13:15 zulu) the eastern regional operation center (roc) notified the Philadelphia flight standards district office (FSDO) that psa flight # 2357 conducted an emergency evacuation on runway 27 left at kphl after receiving flight deck indications of smoke in the lavatory.
Two aviation safety inspectors (ASI), were dispatched to the scene of the incident to investigate at 09:35 local (13:35 zulu).
Upon arriving on scene, asis confirmed the initial reports from the roc. They also confirmed that all 43 passengers and 3 crew members were evacuated without injuries.
Reason for the evacuation:
The flight crew reported that, during their descent for landing at the Washington national, d.c. airport (dca), at FL 230, while complying with air traffic control (ATC) instructions to reduce speed, they received a flight deck warning of smoke in the lavatory. When the flight crew notified the flight attendant of the warning, she reported that she had seen what appeared to be smoke in the rear section of the cabin and checked the lavatory for smoke or fire. She felt the door for heat and, feeling none, opened it. She found no evidence of smoke or fire inside the lavatory. FAA inspectors reported no signs of fire during their investigation.
Who initiated the evacuation?:
The captain instructed the flight attendant to prepare for an emergency landing at phl and an evacuation on the runway.
Which exits were used?: both over-wing emergency exits were opened, however passenger egress only occurred over the left wing. The majority of passengers exited through the main cabin door. The flight attendant directed passengers to the main exit because there was no residual evidence of smoke or fire in the lavatory or the aft cabin. The galley door was not used.
Which exits manfunctioned?: none
Estimated total time of the evacuation?:
Passengers exited the aircraft in approximately five minutes in an orderly and calm manner. They were bussed to the phl terminal.
Nature and extent of injuries?:
The landing and evacuation of passengers and crew on phl rwy 27L was eneventful. No injuries were reported.
The flight crew reported that maintenance was performed on the aircraft the previous night as a result of a lavatory smoke indication. This was confirmed by the principal inspectors from the psa certificate management office (cmo). Investigation continues into reports of multiple carbon seal failures.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROXIMATELY 09:15 LOCAL (13:15 ZULU) THE EASTERN REGIONAL OPERATION CENTER (ROC) NOTIFIED THE PHILADELPHIA FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE (FSDO) THAT PSA FLIGHT # 2357 CONDUCTED AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION ON RUNWAY 27 LEFT AT KPHL AFTER RECEIVING FLIGHT DECK INDICATIONS OF SMOKE IN THE LAVATORY.
TWO AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTORS (ASI), WERE DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE OF THE INCIDENT TO INVESTIGATE AT 09:35 LOCAL (13:35 ZULU).
UPON ARRIVING ON SCENE, ASIS CONFIRMED THE INITIAL REPORTS FROM THE ROC. THEY ALSO CONFIRMED THAT ALL 43 PASSENGERS AND 3 CREW MEMBERS WERE EVACUATED WITHOUT INJURIES.
REASON FOR THE EVACUATION:
THE FLIGHT CREW REPORTED THAT, DURING THEIR DESCENT FOR LANDING AT THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL, D.C. AIRPORT (DCA), AT FL 230, WHILE COMPLYING WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) INSTRUCTIONS TO REDUCE SPEED, THEY RECEIVED A FLIGHT DECK WARNING OF SMOKE IN THE LAVATORY. WHEN THE FLIGHT CREW NOTIFIED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT OF THE WARNING, SHE REPORTED THAT SHE HAD SEEN WHAT APPEARED TO BE SMOKE IN THE REAR SECTION OF THE CABIN AND CHECKED THE LAVATORY FOR SMOKE OR FIRE. SHE FELT THE DOOR FOR HEAT AND, FEELING NONE, OPENED IT. SHE FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF SMOKE OR FIRE INSIDE THE LAVATORY. FAA INSPECTORS REPORTED NO SIGNS OF FIRE DURING THEIR INVESTIGATION.
WHO INITIATED THE EVACUATION?:
THE CAPTAIN INSTRUCTED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT TO PREPARE FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT PHL AND AN EVACUATION ON THE RUNWAY.
WHICH EXITS WERE USED?: BOTH OVER-WING EMERGENCY EXITS WERE OPENED, HOWEVER PASSENGER EGRESS ONLY OCCURRED OVER THE LEFT WING. THE MAJORITY OF PASSENGERS EXITED THROUGH THE MAIN CABIN DOOR. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT DIRECTED PASSENGERS TO THE MAIN EXIT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RESIDUAL EVIDENCE OF SMOKE OR FIRE IN THE LAVATORY OR THE AFT CABIN. THE GALLEY DOOR WAS NOT USED.
WHICH EXITS MANFUNCTIONED?: NONE
ESTIMATED TOTAL TIME OF THE EVACUATION?:
PASSENGERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT IN APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES IN AN ORDERLY AND CALM MANNER. THEY WERE BUSSED TO THE PHL TERMINAL.
NATURE AND EXTENT OF INJURIES?:
THE LANDING AND EVACUATION OF PASSENGERS AND CREW ON PHL RWY 27L WAS ENEVENTFUL. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
THE FLIGHT CREW REPORTED THAT MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE AIRCRAFT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT AS A RESULT OF A LAVATORY SMOKE INDICATION. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY THE PRINCIPAL INSPECTORS FROM THE PSA CERTIFICATE MANAGEMENT OFFICE (CMO). INVESTIGATION CONTINUES INTO REPORTS OF MULTIPLE CARBON SEAL FAILURES.