A B737-300 in climb at FL250 diverted due to loss of cabin pressure caused by a leaking aft cargo compartment door seal.

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Attributes
ACN	490270
Time
Date	200010
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : j75.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 13600 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	490270
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin altitude indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During climb through approximately FL250, cabin altitude warning horn sounded and cabin pressure was noted at 11000 ft and climbing. There were no other warning signals or lights. Called for leveloff and checklists. Switching initially to standby had no effect. Manual was then selected for control and to prevent masks from dropping. Coordinated with ATC for descent. Cabin was stabilized during descent as dispatch was advised. They directed return to wi. Maintenance met aircraft, troubleshot system, and MEL'ed autopressure panel. Aircraft was re-dispatched with panel configured for standby. Second flight climbing through FL230, cabin horn sounded. Switched to manual although it was noted outflow valve was closed. After a short delay in contacting center, descent was approved. Although cabin appeared to stabilize at 1200 ft, masks dropped during descent. Subsequent inspection revealed blown pressurization seal in the aft cargo compartment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 IN CLB AT FL250 DIVERTED DUE TO LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE CAUSED BY A LEAKING AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT DOOR SEAL.

Narrative: DURING CLB THROUGH APPROX FL250, CABIN ALT WARNING HORN SOUNDED AND CABIN PRESSURE WAS NOTED AT 11000 FT AND CLBING. THERE WERE NO OTHER WARNING SIGNALS OR LIGHTS. CALLED FOR LEVELOFF AND CHKLISTS. SWITCHING INITIALLY TO STANDBY HAD NO EFFECT. MANUAL WAS THEN SELECTED FOR CTL AND TO PREVENT MASKS FROM DROPPING. COORDINATED WITH ATC FOR DSCNT. CABIN WAS STABILIZED DURING DSCNT AS DISPATCH WAS ADVISED. THEY DIRECTED RETURN TO WI. MAINT MET ACFT, TROUBLESHOT SYS, AND MEL'ED AUTOPRESSURE PANEL. ACFT WAS RE-DISPATCHED WITH PANEL CONFIGURED FOR STANDBY. SECOND FLT CLBING THROUGH FL230, CABIN HORN SOUNDED. SWITCHED TO MANUAL ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOTED OUTFLOW VALVE WAS CLOSED. AFTER A SHORT DELAY IN CONTACTING CTR, DSCNT WAS APPROVED. ALTHOUGH CABIN APPEARED TO STABILIZE AT 1200 FT, MASKS DROPPED DURING DSCNT. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED BLOWN PRESSURIZATION SEAL IN THE AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT.

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.