Narrative:

En route from boston to harrisburg international between wilkes-barre and harrisburg we noticed the #1 hydraulic system quantity was slowly dropping but the main system pressure was reading normal 3000 pounds. I made the write-up and radioed it into mdt maintenance. After that, I called the flight attendant to the cockpit and briefed her on the situation and we began discussing contingency plans and procedures should the #1 hydraulic system pressure actually drop off. I made the decision to, as a safety precaution, have the flight attendant brief the passenger in brace procedure and discussed the brace signal and when to expect it should the need arise to do so. Approximately 10 mi from the mdt airport and being vectored for the visual approach to runway 13, the #1 hydraulic system pressure dropped to zero with the appropriate caution lights illuminating. At that point, we executed prearranged procedures and executed the loss of hydraulic pressure -- one system checklist along with the rudder pressure/rudder full pressure abnormal checklist. The emergency vehicles were requested to stand by and the passenger were put in the brace position just prior to landing. I requested an ILS 13 mdt approach with a turn on at the marker to stabilize our approach as much as possible. The zero flap landing was normal for the situation and we taxied to the gate without further incident. To summarize, being a planned incident and having the time to think and plan out our options was a big asset in this situation. Also, getting all 3 crewmembers involved at the start and getting all the input helped make the outcome a safe one. Landing at a familiar airport with 10000 plus ft of runway helped.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DH-8-100 LOSES ITS #1 HYD SYS FLUID.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM BOSTON TO HARRISBURG INTL BTWN WILKES-BARRE AND HARRISBURG WE NOTICED THE #1 HYD SYS QUANTITY WAS SLOWLY DROPPING BUT THE MAIN SYS PRESSURE WAS READING NORMAL 3000 LBS. I MADE THE WRITE-UP AND RADIOED IT INTO MDT MAINT. AFTER THAT, I CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO THE COCKPIT AND BRIEFED HER ON THE SIT AND WE BEGAN DISCUSSING CONTINGENCY PLANS AND PROCS SHOULD THE #1 HYD SYS PRESSURE ACTUALLY DROP OFF. I MADE THE DECISION TO, AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION, HAVE THE FLT ATTENDANT BRIEF THE PAX IN BRACE PROC AND DISCUSSED THE BRACE SIGNAL AND WHEN TO EXPECT IT SHOULD THE NEED ARISE TO DO SO. APPROX 10 MI FROM THE MDT ARPT AND BEING VECTORED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 13, THE #1 HYD SYS PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO WITH THE APPROPRIATE CAUTION LIGHTS ILLUMINATING. AT THAT POINT, WE EXECUTED PREARRANGED PROCS AND EXECUTED THE LOSS OF HYD PRESSURE -- ONE SYS CHKLIST ALONG WITH THE RUDDER PRESSURE/RUDDER FULL PRESSURE ABNORMAL CHKLIST. THE EMER VEHICLES WERE REQUESTED TO STAND BY AND THE PAX WERE PUT IN THE BRACE POS JUST PRIOR TO LNDG. I REQUESTED AN ILS 13 MDT APCH WITH A TURN ON AT THE MARKER TO STABILIZE OUR APCH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THE ZERO FLAP LNDG WAS NORMAL FOR THE SIT AND WE TAXIED TO THE GATE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. TO SUMMARIZE, BEING A PLANNED INCIDENT AND HAVING THE TIME TO THINK AND PLAN OUT OUR OPTIONS WAS A BIG ASSET IN THIS SIT. ALSO, GETTING ALL 3 CREWMEMBERS INVOLVED AT THE START AND GETTING ALL THE INPUT HELPED MAKE THE OUTCOME A SAFE ONE. LNDG AT A FAMILIAR ARPT WITH 10000 PLUS FT OF RWY HELPED.

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.