Narrative:

While on a flight from presque isle, me, to boston, ma, the aircraft door seal, for a brief period, made a very low but audible squeal. On the previous flight from portland, me, to presque isle, me, the same situation occurred, again only briefly. In this previous occurrence, I was able to resolve the matter to my satisfaction because we succeeded in eliminating the squeal and were able to maintain full pressurization (maintain sea level cabin pressure although we were at 15000 MSL). [At 16800 MSL the aircraft reaches its maximum differential limit if commanded to maintain sea level cabin pressure]. Again, on the flight from presque isle to boston this situation recurred; this time although we were able to silence the squeal it seemed as though we would not be able to maintain sea level pressurization. I had made up my mind to write up this matter as a discrepancy once I arrived in boston. 10 mins or so later the FAA inspector came to the cockpit and spoke of the noise which she heard. I acknowledged the problem but didn't hear clearly all that she said. With this matter in the forefront of my mind and her comment added, I chose to go ahead and write up this as a discrepancy while in flight rather than wait until arrival in boston. I maintained the same cruise altitude because we were able to maintain positive cabin pressure with no leak and at the same time maintain a good cabin pressure altitude (approximately 3500).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR LEAK AND NOISE AROUND CABIN DOOR NOTICED BY FAA INSPECTOR ON BOARD.

Narrative: WHILE ON A FLT FROM PRESQUE ISLE, ME, TO BOSTON, MA, THE ACFT DOOR SEAL, FOR A BRIEF PERIOD, MADE A VERY LOW BUT AUDIBLE SQUEAL. ON THE PREVIOUS FLT FROM PORTLAND, ME, TO PRESQUE ISLE, ME, THE SAME SITUATION OCCURRED, AGAIN ONLY BRIEFLY. IN THIS PREVIOUS OCCURRENCE, I WAS ABLE TO RESOLVE THE MATTER TO MY SATISFACTION BECAUSE WE SUCCEEDED IN ELIMINATING THE SQUEAL AND WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN FULL PRESSURIZATION (MAINTAIN SEA LEVEL CABIN PRESSURE ALTHOUGH WE WERE AT 15000 MSL). [AT 16800 MSL THE ACFT REACHES ITS MAX DIFFERENTIAL LIMIT IF COMMANDED TO MAINTAIN SEA LEVEL CABIN PRESSURE]. AGAIN, ON THE FLT FROM PRESQUE ISLE TO BOSTON THIS SITUATION RECURRED; THIS TIME ALTHOUGH WE WERE ABLE TO SILENCE THE SQUEAL IT SEEMED AS THOUGH WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SEA LEVEL PRESSURIZATION. I HAD MADE UP MY MIND TO WRITE UP THIS MATTER AS A DISCREPANCY ONCE I ARRIVED IN BOSTON. 10 MINS OR SO LATER THE FAA INSPECTOR CAME TO THE COCKPIT AND SPOKE OF THE NOISE WHICH SHE HEARD. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BUT DIDN'T HEAR CLRLY ALL THAT SHE SAID. WITH THIS MATTER IN THE FOREFRONT OF MY MIND AND HER COMMENT ADDED, I CHOSE TO GO AHEAD AND WRITE UP THIS AS A DISCREPANCY WHILE IN FLT RATHER THAN WAIT UNTIL ARR IN BOSTON. I MAINTAINED THE SAME CRUISE ALT BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE CABIN PRESSURE WITH NO LEAK AND AT THE SAME TIME MAINTAIN A GOOD CABIN PRESSURE ALT (APPROX 3500).

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.