MD80 flight crew declared an emergency due to loss of pressurization and then subsequently, due to i...

Attributes
ACN	513498
Time
Date	200106
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jhw.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc artcc : zny.artcc tower : sea.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 184 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	513498
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event : passenger illness other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin pressure indication other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Cabin pressurization loss of control required emergency descent. We had either missed a handoff between sectors or it was not given. Descent initiated without verbal notification to ATC. Transponder set to 7700 to advise them. Subsequent onboard medical emergency occurred. Company requested divert to jfk. Advised ATC of medical emergency. Company dispatched generated incorrect fuel burn analysis to jfk. This was not discovered until divert well underway. Required declaration of minimum fuel. Advised ATC upon arrival in new york area we would exceed 250 KTS below 10000 ft. Onboard medical emergency required expeditious arrival jfk. Problem presented itself with several visits to cockpit by cabin team indicating excessively cold cabin. It was then discovered that only limited movement of left panel air mix valves was possible on automatic or manual and right pack automatic controller appeared to drive air mix valves full cold with full hot selected. While troubleshooting one or both packs failed with subsequent uncontrollable climb of cabin altitude. Medical emergency appears unrelated with passenger reporting 'bicker staff syndrome' with 'basaler artery spasm.' passenger was a nurse very knowledgeable about condition. She indicated to crew she did not have required medications with her. Company medical contacted and medical personnel met flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLC DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY, DUE TO ILL PAX.

Narrative: CABIN PRESSURIZATION LOSS OF CTL REQUIRED EMER DSCNT. WE HAD EITHER MISSED A HDOF BTWN SECTORS OR IT WAS NOT GIVEN. DSCNT INITIATED WITHOUT VERBAL NOTIFICATION TO ATC. XPONDER SET TO 7700 TO ADVISE THEM. SUBSEQUENT ONBOARD MEDICAL EMER OCCURRED. COMPANY REQUESTED DIVERT TO JFK. ADVISED ATC OF MEDICAL EMER. COMPANY DISPATCHED GENERATED INCORRECT FUEL BURN ANALYSIS TO JFK. THIS WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL DIVERT WELL UNDERWAY. REQUIRED DECLARATION OF MINIMUM FUEL. ADVISED ATC UPON ARR IN NEW YORK AREA WE WOULD EXCEED 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT. ONBOARD MEDICAL EMER REQUIRED EXPEDITIOUS ARR JFK. PROB PRESENTED ITSELF WITH SEVERAL VISITS TO COCKPIT BY CABIN TEAM INDICATING EXCESSIVELY COLD CABIN. IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THAT ONLY LIMITED MOVEMENT OF L PANEL AIR MIX VALVES WAS POSSIBLE ON AUTO OR MANUAL AND R PACK AUTO CTLR APPEARED TO DRIVE AIR MIX VALVES FULL COLD WITH FULL HOT SELECTED. WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING ONE OR BOTH PACKS FAILED WITH SUBSEQUENT UNCONTROLLABLE CLB OF CABIN ALT. MEDICAL EMER APPEARS UNRELATED WITH PAX RPTING 'BICKER STAFF SYNDROME' WITH 'BASALER ARTERY SPASM.' PAX WAS A NURSE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT CONDITION. SHE INDICATED TO CREW SHE DID NOT HAVE REQUIRED MEDICATIONS WITH HER. COMPANY MEDICAL CONTACTED AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL MET 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.

MD80 flight crew declared an emergency due to loss of pressurization and then subsequently, due to ill passenger.