Loss of cabin pressure mandates a diversion to an alternate airport by the flight crew of an MD80 ne...

Attributes
ACN	539807
Time
Date	200202
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zla.artcc
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 2.5 flight attendant time total : 2.5 flight attendant time type : 80
ASRS Report	539807
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin alt gauge other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other other other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The captain called back to the cabin and told us the cabin pressure was dropping. He asked the #1 flight attendant to stay on the phone with him. He told us to get everyone seated and buckled in their seats. Several passenger were standing and 2 flight attendants in the back were doing their second beverage service and had the cart in the aisle. The #5 flight attendant and I (#3 flight attendant) went through the cabin and got everyone in their seats, told the 2 flight attendants in the aisle to put the cart away, then I began putting catering items away in the first class galley. Meanwhile, the captain repeatedly asked the #1 flight attendant if the oxygen masks had dropped yet. They never did because the captain descended fast enough to a safe altitude. A few people felt lightheaded, including me, and a few people complained of ear pain. We landed without incident, but as a cautionary measure the fire department met our flight. They checked on the passenger for any injury and spoke with one lady who was still having ear pain. The communication between pilots and cabin crew was wonderful and the immediate action taken by the pilots was very professional. The passenger were grateful and relieved when we landed and thanked the crew as they deplaned. The pilots had informed the passenger of the problem and assured them it was under control as he explained what they would be doing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE MANDATES A DIVERSION TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT BY THE FLC OF AN MD80 NEAR LAS, NV.

Narrative: THE CAPT CALLED BACK TO THE CABIN AND TOLD US THE CABIN PRESSURE WAS DROPPING. HE ASKED THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT TO STAY ON THE PHONE WITH HIM. HE TOLD US TO GET EVERYONE SEATED AND BUCKLED IN THEIR SEATS. SEVERAL PAX WERE STANDING AND 2 FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE BACK WERE DOING THEIR SECOND BEVERAGE SVC AND HAD THE CART IN THE AISLE. THE #5 FLT ATTENDANT AND I (#3 FLT ATTENDANT) WENT THROUGH THE CABIN AND GOT EVERYONE IN THEIR SEATS, TOLD THE 2 FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE AISLE TO PUT THE CART AWAY, THEN I BEGAN PUTTING CATERING ITEMS AWAY IN THE FIRST CLASS GALLEY. MEANWHILE, THE CAPT REPEATEDLY ASKED THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT IF THE OXYGEN MASKS HAD DROPPED YET. THEY NEVER DID BECAUSE THE CAPT DSNDED FAST ENOUGH TO A SAFE ALT. A FEW PEOPLE FELT LIGHTHEADED, INCLUDING ME, AND A FEW PEOPLE COMPLAINED OF EAR PAIN. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT AS A CAUTIONARY MEASURE THE FIRE DEPT MET OUR FLT. THEY CHKED ON THE PAX FOR ANY INJURY AND SPOKE WITH ONE LADY WHO WAS STILL HAVING EAR PAIN. THE COM BTWN PLTS AND CABIN CREW WAS WONDERFUL AND THE IMMEDIATE ACTION TAKEN BY THE PLTS WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL. THE PAX WERE GRATEFUL AND RELIEVED WHEN WE LANDED AND THANKED THE CREW AS THEY DEPLANED. THE PLTS HAD INFORMED THE PAX OF THE PROB AND ASSURED THEM IT WAS UNDER CTL AS HE EXPLAINED WHAT THEY WOULD BE DOING.

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.

Loss of cabin pressure mandates a diversion to an alternate airport by the flight crew of an MD80 near las, nv.