MD80 crew had right hydraulic system failure.

Attributes
ACN	520473
Time
Date	200108
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa.artcc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tower : ord.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 : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 19500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	520473
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 other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : rt hyd. quantity, pressure, low pressure light other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

About 1/2 way on a flight from iah-oak, I noticed the right hydraulic gauge indicating about 2 quarts of hydraulic fluid. Usually the quantity would be at 10+ quarts. We followed the procedure in the arm for loss of hydraulic fluid. When the engine driven pump was turned off, the system pressure went from normal (1500 psi) to zero. I asked the first officer to turn on the engine driven pump again and pressure went to normal 1500 psi. The quantity stayed the same. I elected to keep the system pressurized, believing that with no secondary indications (no hydraulic pressure light, no hydraulic temperature light, no fluctuating hydraulic pressure) that the problem was a faulty gauge. During the start of descent, we received the secondary indications, hydraulic pressure and fluctuating hydraulic pressure around 500 psi. We followed the same checklist again. Emergency was declared and landing was uneventful. However, a small leak was found and mental shavings (probably from the engine driven pump) were also found. If I had left the pump off when initially noticed, a might have saved the pump!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD R HYD SYS FAILURE.

Narrative: ABOUT 1/2 WAY ON A FLT FROM IAH-OAK, I NOTICED THE R HYD GAUGE INDICATING ABOUT 2 QUARTS OF HYD FLUID. USUALLY THE QUANTITY WOULD BE AT 10+ QUARTS. WE FOLLOWED THE PROC IN THE ARM FOR LOSS OF HYD FLUID. WHEN THE ENG DRIVEN PUMP WAS TURNED OFF, THE SYS PRESSURE WENT FROM NORMAL (1500 PSI) TO ZERO. I ASKED THE FO TO TURN ON THE ENG DRIVEN PUMP AGAIN AND PRESSURE WENT TO NORMAL 1500 PSI. THE QUANTITY STAYED THE SAME. I ELECTED TO KEEP THE SYS PRESSURIZED, BELIEVING THAT WITH NO SECONDARY INDICATIONS (NO HYD PRESSURE LIGHT, NO HYD TEMP LIGHT, NO FLUCTUATING HYD PRESSURE) THAT THE PROB WAS A FAULTY GAUGE. DURING THE START OF DSCNT, WE RECEIVED THE SECONDARY INDICATIONS, HYD PRESSURE AND FLUCTUATING HYD PRESSURE AROUND 500 PSI. WE FOLLOWED THE SAME CHKLIST AGAIN. EMER WAS DECLARED AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. HOWEVER, A SMALL LEAK WAS FOUND AND MENTAL SHAVINGS (PROBABLY FROM THE ENG DRIVEN PUMP) WERE ALSO FOUND. IF I HAD LEFT THE PUMP OFF WHEN INITIALLY NOTICED, A MIGHT HAVE SAVED THE PUMP!

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.