Emergency declared.

Attributes
ACN	295848
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tys
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 4300
ASRS Report	295848
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 14800 flight time type : 5400
ASRS Report	295432
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During cruise, engineer informed us of a slow hydraulic leak in the a system. Rate of leak was very slow, but quantity finally dropped below a reasonable level for simple cold soaking. Captain decided to monitor quantity a bit longer for himself and immediately checked field conditions at destination in case a system failed completely. Quantity continued slow drop and captain directed hydraulic leak or loss checklist. Initial items were accomplished, and fluid stopped dropping. As more than 1 gallon still remained, and runway was in good shape at planned destination, captain elected to continue there. The remainder of checklist was reviewed in case the system failed during attempt to repressurize for landing. Captain decided to set up a long pattern in anticipation of possible failure, but elected to try using normal hydraulics first, as rate of leak would not deplete system until well after landing. To ensure traffic priority, fire/rescue coverage and access for a tug to runway area, captain elected to declare emergency. Thanks to early depressurization, fluid level remained adequate, and landing was made with most hydraulic system recovered per checklist. Postflt revealed leak was in main flap motor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER DECLARED.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE, ENGINEER INFORMED US OF A SLOW HYD LEAK IN THE A SYS. RATE OF LEAK WAS VERY SLOW, BUT QUANTITY FINALLY DROPPED BELOW A REASONABLE LEVEL FOR SIMPLE COLD SOAKING. CAPT DECIDED TO MONITOR QUANTITY A BIT LONGER FOR HIMSELF AND IMMEDIATELY CHKED FIELD CONDITIONS AT DEST IN CASE A SYS FAILED COMPLETELY. QUANTITY CONTINUED SLOW DROP AND CAPT DIRECTED HYD LEAK OR LOSS CHKLIST. INITIAL ITEMS WERE ACCOMPLISHED, AND FLUID STOPPED DROPPING. AS MORE THAN 1 GALLON STILL REMAINED, AND RWY WAS IN GOOD SHAPE AT PLANNED DEST, CAPT ELECTED TO CONTINUE THERE. THE REMAINDER OF CHKLIST WAS REVIEWED IN CASE THE SYS FAILED DURING ATTEMPT TO REPRESSURIZE FOR LNDG. CAPT DECIDED TO SET UP A LONG PATTERN IN ANTICIPATION OF POSSIBLE FAILURE, BUT ELECTED TO TRY USING NORMAL HYDS FIRST, AS RATE OF LEAK WOULD NOT DEPLETE SYS UNTIL WELL AFTER LNDG. TO ENSURE TFC PRIORITY, FIRE/RESCUE COVERAGE AND ACCESS FOR A TUG TO RWY AREA, CAPT ELECTED TO DECLARE EMER. THANKS TO EARLY DEPRESSURIZATION, FLUID LEVEL REMAINED ADEQUATE, AND LNDG WAS MADE WITH MOST HYD SYS RECOVERED PER CHKLIST. POSTFLT REVEALED LEAK WAS IN MAIN FLAP MOTOR.

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.