<< >> NASA ASRS Report 210619, May 1992

An medium large transport air carrier crew had a partial loss of pressurization while at FL370. They made an emergency descent with some communications and equipment difficulty.

Attributes
ACN	210619
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slt
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	210619
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	210948
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We had just started a descent from FL370. At that time aircraft CAWS warning indicated a climb altitude problem. Cabin altitude was noted climbing through 9500 ft. Decompression memory items were accomplished, ATC was notified of a cabin altitude problem and a lower altitude was requested. During checklist, passenger oxygen masks were deployed. Control of cabin altitude was regained and a descent and landing were accomplished using manual cabin pressure control. No deviations from ATC clearance were necessary. This all began near slt. The oxygen masks were difficult/impossible to get on over glasses/sunglasses. Cockpit communication was more difficult due to ATC chatter with other aircraft. Checklist items, to be read and accomplished, were delayed because first officer could not find procedure on checklist. Manual cabin pressure control is difficult and takes full attention of PNF.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG ACR CREW HAD A PARTIAL LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION WHILE AT FL370. THEY MADE AN EMER DSCNT WITH SOME COMS AND EQUIP DIFFICULTY.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST STARTED A DSCNT FROM FL370. AT THAT TIME ACFT CAWS WARNING INDICATED A CLB ALT PROBLEM. CABIN ALT WAS NOTED CLBING THROUGH 9500 FT. DECOMPRESSION MEMORY ITEMS WERE ACCOMPLISHED, ATC WAS NOTIFIED OF A CABIN ALT PROBLEM AND A LOWER ALT WAS REQUESTED. DURING CHKLIST, PAX OXYGEN MASKS WERE DEPLOYED. CTL OF CABIN ALT WAS REGAINED AND A DSCNT AND LNDG WERE ACCOMPLISHED USING MANUAL CABIN PRESSURE CTL. NO DEVS FROM ATC CLRNC WERE NECESSARY. THIS ALL BEGAN NEAR SLT. THE OXYGEN MASKS WERE DIFFICULT/IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ON OVER GLASSES/SUNGLASSES. COCKPIT COM WAS MORE DIFFICULT DUE TO ATC CHATTER WITH OTHER ACFT. CHKLIST ITEMS, TO BE READ AND ACCOMPLISHED, WERE DELAYED BECAUSE FO COULD NOT FIND PROC ON CHKLIST. MANUAL CABIN PRESSURE CTL IS DIFFICULT AND TAKES FULL ATTN OF PNF.

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.