<< >> NASA ASRS Report 483947, August 2000

An MD88 in cruise at FL310 declares an emergency and diverts due to loss of right main hydraulic pressure and quantity caused by a broken left main torque link.

Attributes
ACN	483947
Time
Date	200008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 13900 flight time type : 2850
ASRS Report	483947
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : rt. main press + qty ind other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Navigational Facility Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft ATC Human Performance ATC Facility
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After takeoff from bos for pbi, captain pointed out r-hand hydraulic quantity noticeably lower than during preflight. As this is frequently related to confign, we observed quantity. After approximately 40 mins it had dropped further, possible slow leak. Began contingency planning and contacted company. Quantity subsequently dropped to in-flight minimum and light illuminated. Ran checklist and diverted to atlanta. R-hand hydraulic system subsequently lost. Ran that checklist. With atl approach declared emergency and requested ILS to runway 9L, it being longest available into wind. WX about 200 ft broken, 1000 ft overcast, 5 mi visibility. Vectored onto final for ILS runway 9L, but no identify and flags on instruments. Swapped to ILS runway 9R. Runway 9L ILS came up and back to runway 9L. Landing uneventful. We had a broken left maintenance torque link, which took out r-hand hydraulic system line. Any connection.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 IN CRUISE AT FL310 DECLARES AN EMER AND DIVERTS DUE TO LOSS OF R MAIN HYD PRESSURE AND QUANTITY CAUSED BY A BROKEN L MAIN TORQUE LINK.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM BOS FOR PBI, CAPT POINTED OUT R-HAND HYD QUANTITY NOTICEABLY LOWER THAN DURING PREFLT. AS THIS IS FREQUENTLY RELATED TO CONFIGN, WE OBSERVED QUANTITY. AFTER APPROX 40 MINS IT HAD DROPPED FURTHER, POSSIBLE SLOW LEAK. BEGAN CONTINGENCY PLANNING AND CONTACTED COMPANY. QUANTITY SUBSEQUENTLY DROPPED TO INFLT MINIMUM AND LIGHT ILLUMINATED. RAN CHKLIST AND DIVERTED TO ATLANTA. R-HAND HYD SYS SUBSEQUENTLY LOST. RAN THAT CHKLIST. WITH ATL APCH DECLARED EMER AND REQUESTED ILS TO RWY 9L, IT BEING LONGEST AVAILABLE INTO WIND. WX ABOUT 200 FT BROKEN, 1000 FT OVCST, 5 MI VISIBILITY. VECTORED ONTO FINAL FOR ILS RWY 9L, BUT NO IDENT AND FLAGS ON INSTS. SWAPPED TO ILS RWY 9R. RWY 9L ILS CAME UP AND BACK TO RWY 9L. LNDG UNEVENTFUL. WE HAD A BROKEN L MAINT TORQUE LINK, WHICH TOOK OUT R-HAND HYD SYS LINE. ANY CONNECTION.

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.