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A widebody transport air carrier crew suffered an explosive decompression. After landing, they found that some of the passenger oxygen mask compartments had been taped closed to perform a maintenance check.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 226356 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199211 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hnl |
| State Reference | HI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 29000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhn |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : other oceanic enroute : pacific |
| 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 : 17000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 226356 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 148 flight time total : 7020 flight time type : 740 |
| ASRS Report | 226643 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Climbing through FL290 experienced loss of cabin pressure at about 5000 FPM rate. Started rapid descent. Declared emergency. Descending through FL180, cabin altitude reached 14000 ft cabin oxygen masks deployed automatically. Leveled at 1000 ft and returned to hnl and landed. After passengers deplaned, some flight attendants noted that several oxygen panel doors had been taped shut with duct tape. I don't know how many. Upon further inquiry with management, I find that previously the mechanics had performed a test of the oxygen access doors in the cabin per an airworthiness directive issued by the FAA. As I understand it, since the a.D. Only required 50 percent of the panels to be tested, many panels were taped shut in order to minimize the labor costs to restow the oxygen masks at the conclusion of the test. Unfortunately, some tape was left on some panels. Supplemental information from acn 226643. Dumped fuel and landed uneventfully.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A WDB ACR CREW SUFFERED AN EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION. AFTER LNDG, THEY FOUND THAT SOME OF THE PAX OXYGEN MASK COMPARTMENTS HAD BEEN TAPED CLOSED TO PERFORM A MAINT CHK.
Narrative: CLBING THROUGH FL290 EXPERIENCED LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE AT ABOUT 5000 FPM RATE. STARTED RAPID DSCNT. DECLARED EMER. DSNDING THROUGH FL180, CABIN ALT REACHED 14000 FT CABIN OXYGEN MASKS DEPLOYED AUTOMATICALLY. LEVELED AT 1000 FT AND RETURNED TO HNL AND LANDED. AFTER PAXS DEPLANED, SOME FLT ATTENDANTS NOTED THAT SEVERAL OXYGEN PANEL DOORS HAD BEEN TAPED SHUT WITH DUCT TAPE. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY. UPON FURTHER INQUIRY WITH MGMNT, I FIND THAT PREVIOUSLY THE MECHS HAD PERFORMED A TEST OF THE OXYGEN ACCESS DOORS IN THE CABIN PER AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ISSUED BY THE FAA. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, SINCE THE A.D. ONLY REQUIRED 50 PERCENT OF THE PANELS TO BE TESTED, MANY PANELS WERE TAPED SHUT IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE LABOR COSTS TO RESTOW THE OXYGEN MASKS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE TEST. UNFORTUNATELY, SOME TAPE WAS LEFT ON SOME PANELS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 226643. DUMPED FUEL AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY.
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.