A PA31 private pilot exercises his use of emergency authority/authorized in starting an emergency descent to 12000 ft after losing cabin pressure at FL220, but has a potential conflict with a commuter flight, near lub, tx.

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Attributes
ACN	514073
Time
Date	200106
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lbb.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-31T-1 Cheyenne I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 32 flight time total : 2010 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	514073
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 29000 vertical : 0
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was in level flight at FL220 en route from ftw to saf and had a rapid decompression (later found a 4 inch hose had blown off in the air conditioning/pressurization system). I reduced power and started an emergency descent and immediately contacted center and reported the situation and my intentions. Approximately 2 mins later I leveled off at 12000 ft and continued the flight to saf. We were in VMC and I maintained a visual lookout for traffic at all times. I contacted ZFW upon my arrival in saf and was told that they had barely lost separation minimums between my aircraft and a commuter. I never saw the other aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA31 PVT PLT EXERCISES HIS USE OF EMER AUTH IN STARTING AN EMER DSCNT TO 12000 FT AFTER LOSING CABIN PRESSURE AT FL220, BUT HAS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH A COMMUTER FLT, NEAR LUB, TX.

Narrative: I WAS IN LEVEL FLT AT FL220 ENRTE FROM FTW TO SAF AND HAD A RAPID DECOMPRESSION (LATER FOUND A 4 INCH HOSE HAD BLOWN OFF IN THE AIR CONDITIONING/PRESSURIZATION SYS). I REDUCED PWR AND STARTED AN EMER DSCNT AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED CTR AND RPTED THE SIT AND MY INTENTIONS. APPROX 2 MINS LATER I LEVELED OFF AT 12000 FT AND CONTINUED THE FLT TO SAF. WE WERE IN VMC AND I MAINTAINED A VISUAL LOOKOUT FOR TFC AT ALL TIMES. I CONTACTED ZFW UPON MY ARR IN SAF AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD BARELY LOST SEPARATION MINIMUMS BTWN MY ACFT AND A COMMUTER. I NEVER SAW THE OTHER ACFT.

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.