Loss of 1 hydraulic system requires air carrier large transport aircraft descent to FL300, but flight crew fails to declare an emergency, so the controller declares one for them.

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Attributes
ACN	155525
Time
Date	199008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 30000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	155525
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	155431
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Lost a-sys hydraulics on air carrier large transport which requires immediate descent to 30000' MSL and maximum airspeed of 270 KTS (the lower the better in turbulence which we were in). Told first officer to get lower from ATC. Disconnected autoplt which was running from a-sys. Started down and started checklist for hydraulic failure. All of this was done at the same time. ATC said maintain 31000'. At this time we were at 30000-30600'. I told first officer to tell ATC we were on our way down and to turn any other traffic due to our situation. ATC then said he was declaring our situation an emergency, turned another air carrier aircraft and gave us 26000'. We returned to clt west/O problems with men and equipment near longest runway (26L) and landed at clt, all ok. If I had it to do over I would change 1 thing: to tell first officer to inform ATC in no uncertain terms we were on our way down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF 1 HYDRAULIC SYSTEM REQUIRES ACR LGT ACFT DESCENT TO FL300, BUT FLT CREW FAILS TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY, SO THE CTLR DECLARES ONE FOR THEM.

Narrative: LOST A-SYS HYDS ON ACR LGT WHICH REQUIRES IMMEDIATE DSNT TO 30000' MSL AND MAX AIRSPD OF 270 KTS (THE LOWER THE BETTER IN TURB WHICH WE WERE IN). TOLD F/O TO GET LOWER FROM ATC. DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT WHICH WAS RUNNING FROM A-SYS. STARTED DOWN AND STARTED CHKLIST FOR HYD FAILURE. ALL OF THIS WAS DONE AT THE SAME TIME. ATC SAID MAINTAIN 31000'. AT THIS TIME WE WERE AT 30000-30600'. I TOLD F/O TO TELL ATC WE WERE ON OUR WAY DOWN AND TO TURN ANY OTHER TFC DUE TO OUR SITUATION. ATC THEN SAID HE WAS DECLARING OUR SITUATION AN EMER, TURNED ANOTHER ACR ACFT AND GAVE US 26000'. WE RETURNED TO CLT W/O PROBS WITH MEN AND EQUIP NEAR LONGEST RWY (26L) AND LANDED AT CLT, ALL OK. IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER I WOULD CHANGE 1 THING: TO TELL F/O TO INFORM ATC IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS WE WERE ON OUR WAY DOWN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.