MD80 crew had hydraulic failure in I90 class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	553473
Time
Date	200207
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon tower : hio.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 4
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 16 flight attendant time total : 16 flight attendant time type : 99
ASRS Report	553473
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : hyd quantity press other flight crewa other other : cab 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Weather
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Had prepared cabin for landing in hou. Then had to circle due to thunderstorms in area. Flight attendant #2 came forward, said she'd heard a loud noise in rear of aircraft. Had notified captain. Captain called back and said we'd lost hydraulics on right side. Said he would call back with more information. Later called and told us that we would be dropping the gear manually and would be able to land although the gear doors would be down. His concern would be if we didn't get a 'green light' on the gear. (Then we would have to pull up the flooring and also prepare for an emergency landing.) luckily, gear was down and we had a green light. The captain made an excellent PA. I then reiterated what he said, stressing there may be noise and that it was expected. We (flight attendants #1, #2 and #4) went through the cabin to reassure passenger. Flight attendant #4 rebriefed exit row passenger. Landed at iah (longer runway). They pinned the gear. We were towed to gate. Good communication between the captain and the cabin crew. PA's were made to keep passenger informed. Obviously worked well to allay passenger's fears since their questions dealt with how they were going to get their luggage, would they still go on to austin, how much time was this going to take because they had dinner reservations. Did not have to run emergency checklist, did reseat some passenger who were not near their children. (They were in first class and the kids were in coach.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD HYD FAILURE IN I90 CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: HAD PREPARED CABIN FOR LNDG IN HOU. THEN HAD TO CIRCLE DUE TO TSTMS IN AREA. FLT ATTENDANT #2 CAME FORWARD, SAID SHE'D HEARD A LOUD NOISE IN REAR OF ACFT. HAD NOTIFIED CAPT. CAPT CALLED BACK AND SAID WE'D LOST HYDS ON R SIDE. SAID HE WOULD CALL BACK WITH MORE INFO. LATER CALLED AND TOLD US THAT WE WOULD BE DROPPING THE GEAR MANUALLY AND WOULD BE ABLE TO LAND ALTHOUGH THE GEAR DOORS WOULD BE DOWN. HIS CONCERN WOULD BE IF WE DIDN'T GET A 'GREEN LIGHT' ON THE GEAR. (THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL UP THE FLOORING AND ALSO PREPARE FOR AN EMER LNDG.) LUCKILY, GEAR WAS DOWN AND WE HAD A GREEN LIGHT. THE CAPT MADE AN EXCELLENT PA. I THEN REITERATED WHAT HE SAID, STRESSING THERE MAY BE NOISE AND THAT IT WAS EXPECTED. WE (FLT ATTENDANTS #1, #2 AND #4) WENT THROUGH THE CABIN TO REASSURE PAX. FLT ATTENDANT #4 REBRIEFED EXIT ROW PAX. LANDED AT IAH (LONGER RWY). THEY PINNED THE GEAR. WE WERE TOWED TO GATE. GOOD COM BTWN THE CAPT AND THE CABIN CREW. PA'S WERE MADE TO KEEP PAX INFORMED. OBVIOUSLY WORKED WELL TO ALLAY PAX'S FEARS SINCE THEIR QUESTIONS DEALT WITH HOW THEY WERE GOING TO GET THEIR LUGGAGE, WOULD THEY STILL GO ON TO AUSTIN, HOW MUCH TIME WAS THIS GOING TO TAKE BECAUSE THEY HAD DINNER RESERVATIONS. DID NOT HAVE TO RUN EMER CHKLIST, DID RESEAT SOME PAX WHO WERE NOT NEAR THEIR CHILDREN. (THEY WERE IN FIRST CLASS AND THE KIDS WERE IN COACH.)

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.