<< >> NASA ASRS Report 370353, May 1997

EMB120 crew spilled water on the center console in the cockpit. Shortly after, the cabin pressurization became erratic necessitating descent to below 10000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	370353
Time
Date	199705
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : czq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9900 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 9800 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	370353
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3200
ASRS Report	369970
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After leveloff at cruise altitude of FL190, flight attendant entered cockpit to ask if we would like anything to drink. First officer responded yes and handed his nearly empty cup of water to her and requested a refill. After grabbing the cup, flight attendant dropped it on the center console. Very little water spilled and we immediately cleaned it up. A few mins later the cabin altitude began to fluctuate, climbing and descending. We initiated a descent to an altitude below 10000 ft and while descending, the passenger oxygen masks deployed and passenger put their masks on and the flight continued to destination without incident. Overall, even though everything turned out alright, it can never be emphasized enough -- be very cautious with liquids around electronic components.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB120 CREW SPILLED WATER ON THE CTR CONSOLE IN THE COCKPIT. SHORTLY AFTER, THE CABIN PRESSURIZATION BECAME ERRATIC NECESSITATING DSCNT TO BELOW 10000 FT.

Narrative: AFTER LEVELOFF AT CRUISE ALT OF FL190, FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED COCKPIT TO ASK IF WE WOULD LIKE ANYTHING TO DRINK. FO RESPONDED YES AND HANDED HIS NEARLY EMPTY CUP OF WATER TO HER AND REQUESTED A REFILL. AFTER GRABBING THE CUP, FLT ATTENDANT DROPPED IT ON THE CTR CONSOLE. VERY LITTLE WATER SPILLED AND WE IMMEDIATELY CLEANED IT UP. A FEW MINS LATER THE CABIN ALT BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE, CLBING AND DSNDING. WE INITIATED A DSCNT TO AN ALT BELOW 10000 FT AND WHILE DSNDING, THE PAX OXYGEN MASKS DEPLOYED AND PAX PUT THEIR MASKS ON AND THE FLT CONTINUED TO DEST WITHOUT INCIDENT. OVERALL, EVEN THOUGH EVERYTHING TURNED OUT ALRIGHT, IT CAN NEVER BE EMPHASIZED ENOUGH -- BE VERY CAUTIOUS WITH LIQUIDS AROUND ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS.

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.