An MD80 crew, en route ord to lax, diverted to las when experiencing a cabin pressure loss.

Attributes
ACN	540371
Time
Date	200202
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
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 attendant : on duty other personnel other
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 6
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 3 flight attendant time total : 3 flight attendant time type : 95
ASRS Report	540371
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was working position flight attendant #4 on the forward side of the beverage cart. Flight attendant #2 was on the aft side as we performed a beverage service in main cabin. We both suddenly felt the aircraft descending rapidly as the fasten seatbelt sign illuminated. We remarked that it was quite early for an approach to lax when flight attendants were walking rapidly from first class cabin to main cabin assuring passenger seatbelts were fastened. They told us to stow our carts as soon as possible -- that we were going through a decompression. We did as told, and I made sure that passenger were seated with seat belts on, that everyone was calm, that children knew from where their masks would drop and how to use it, etc. About 20-25 mins later we landed in las.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW, ENRTE ORD TO LAX, DIVERTED TO LAS WHEN EXPERIENCING A CABIN PRESSURE LOSS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING POS FLT ATTENDANT #4 ON THE FORWARD SIDE OF THE BEVERAGE CART. FLT ATTENDANT #2 WAS ON THE AFT SIDE AS WE PERFORMED A BEVERAGE SVC IN MAIN CABIN. WE BOTH SUDDENLY FELT THE ACFT DSNDING RAPIDLY AS THE FASTEN SEATBELT SIGN ILLUMINATED. WE REMARKED THAT IT WAS QUITE EARLY FOR AN APCH TO LAX WHEN FLT ATTENDANTS WERE WALKING RAPIDLY FROM FIRST CLASS CABIN TO MAIN CABIN ASSURING PAX SEATBELTS WERE FASTENED. THEY TOLD US TO STOW OUR CARTS ASAP -- THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH A DECOMPRESSION. WE DID AS TOLD, AND I MADE SURE THAT PAX WERE SEATED WITH SEAT BELTS ON, THAT EVERYONE WAS CALM, THAT CHILDREN KNEW FROM WHERE THEIR MASKS WOULD DROP AND HOW TO USE IT, ETC. ABOUT 20-25 MINS LATER WE LANDED IN LAS.

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.