<< >> NASA ASRS Report 487523, October 2000

A DC9-30 on initial climb returned to the field due to unable to pressurize the cabin caused by the outflow valve failing open in the automatic mode.

Attributes
ACN	487523
Time
Date	200010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d21.tracon tower : stl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : other published ifr departure
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	487523
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9813 flight time type : 2340
ASRS Report	487968
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin altitude indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Aircraft failed to pressurize after takeoff. Had to manually pressurize aircraft and remain at 3000 ft while troubleshooting. ATC provided low altitude vectors for approximately 1 hour while burning off fuel below maximum landing weight. Uneventful landing at dtw. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the airplane was a DC9-30 and the failure to pressurize the cabin was caused by the outflow valve being inoperative in automatic mode in the full open position. The reporter said the system was operative in manual, but this airplane was dispatched into WX and the cabin pressure would need monitoring and adjustment during the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 ON INITIAL CLB RETURNED TO THE FIELD DUE TO UNABLE TO PRESSURIZE THE CABIN CAUSED BY THE OUTFLOW VALVE FAILING OPEN IN THE AUTO MODE.

Narrative: ACFT FAILED TO PRESSURIZE AFTER TKOF. HAD TO MANUALLY PRESSURIZE ACFT AND REMAIN AT 3000 FT WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING. ATC PROVIDED LOW ALT VECTORS FOR APPROX 1 HR WHILE BURNING OFF FUEL BELOW MAX LNDG WT. UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT DTW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS A DC9-30 AND THE FAILURE TO PRESSURIZE THE CABIN WAS CAUSED BY THE OUTFLOW VALVE BEING INOP IN AUTO MODE IN THE FULL OPEN POS. THE RPTR SAID THE SYS WAS OPERATIVE IN MANUAL, BUT THIS AIRPLANE WAS DISPATCHED INTO WX AND THE CABIN PRESSURE WOULD NEED MONITORING AND ADJUSTMENT DURING THE FLT.

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.