<< >> NASA ASRS Report 362178, March 1997

An air carrier DC9-50 crew had to divert land with a pressurization problem. Emergency declared. Emergency descent. Aircraft equipment problem probable pressurization controller failure as there were no obvious seal leaks.

Attributes
ACN	362178
Time
Date	199703
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxv airport : lit
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other 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 : 230 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	362178
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

En route at FL350 from dtw-msy. We were deviating around a long line of thunderstorms. South of pxv VOR, we received a 'cabin pressurization' warning and couldn't control our cabin from climbing. Communication with ZID was terrible due to electrical activity in nearby thunderstorms and possible ice on antenna. We declared an emergency and descended to 10000 ft where communication was much better. Our nearest airport was memphis, but, because of the WX, we diverted to little rock. The crew and passenger used supplemental oxygen during the event. The remainder of flight was uneventful. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter was flying a DC9- 50. He does not know what caused the pressurization problem, but a contract mechanic thought it might have been the controller as he could find no obvious seal leaks. The reporter got another aircraft and continued the trip.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC9-50 CREW HAD TO DIVERT LAND WITH A PRESSURIZATION PROB. EMER DECLARED. EMER DSCNT. ACFT EQUIP PROB PROBABLE PRESSURIZATION CTLR FAILURE AS THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS SEAL LEAKS.

Narrative: ENRTE AT FL350 FROM DTW-MSY. WE WERE DEVIATING AROUND A LONG LINE OF TSTMS. S OF PXV VOR, WE RECEIVED A 'CABIN PRESSURIZATION' WARNING AND COULDN'T CTL OUR CABIN FROM CLBING. COM WITH ZID WAS TERRIBLE DUE TO ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY IN NEARBY TSTMS AND POSSIBLE ICE ON ANTENNA. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND DSNDED TO 10000 FT WHERE COM WAS MUCH BETTER. OUR NEAREST ARPT WAS MEMPHIS, BUT, BECAUSE OF THE WX, WE DIVERTED TO LITTLE ROCK. THE CREW AND PAX USED SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN DURING THE EVENT. THE REMAINDER OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A DC9- 50. HE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE PRESSURIZATION PROB, BUT A CONTRACT MECH THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CTLR AS HE COULD FIND NO OBVIOUS SEAL LEAKS. THE RPTR GOT ANOTHER ACFT AND CONTINUED THE TRIP.

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.