After an emergency descent and subsequent landing at his destination airport, a PA-31T cheyenne pilo...

Attributes
ACN	581385
Time
Date	200305
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mkt.airport
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	PA-31T Cheyenne II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	581385
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : faa 2-3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Chart Or Publication Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We were at FL220 when cabin pressure differential went to zero after a loud pop and air rushing through cockpit. I immediately donned oxygen mask and started a steep descent. At the same time ATC was telling me to change to another frequency. Then ATC said 'I show you 500 ft low.' I replied 'I am trying to tell you I have had a catastrophic pressure failure and declaring an emergency. I am descending to 15000 ft.' ATC then ok'ed me to 15000 ft. After reaching 15000 ft, I asked for 14000 ft and was cleared to 14000 ft and told to change to other sector's frequency. When other frequency was contacted, I asked if I needed to do anything further, since I had declared an emergency and everything was ok now. ATC advised he had not been told we had declared an emergency and wanted to know if we needed further assistance. I reaffirmed we were ok and we were going to continue to our destination. I remained on oxygen until we were cleared to descend to mankato, mn (mkt). After arriving at mankato, I was given a note to call flight standards and he was told everything and he said ok, no further action was necessary but that I would have to get a ferry permit to return to our base (3DW) springfield, mo, downtown. After a short discussion, he agreed to send me the form for a ferry permit and if I didn't think I needed it to throw it away. After reading far 91.213, it appeared I would be legal to placard the pressurization controls and return home with my passenger at an altitude below 12000 ft. The cheyenne does not have an MEL. Before we left, a flight standards man showed up to ramp check me and the aircraft and if we had everything in proper order. I asked him about placarding the pressurization and continuing back home and he advised part 91.213 says everything must be working. I pointed out that we did not have an MEL and he advised he knew nothing about MEL's.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER AN EMER DSCNT AND SUBSEQUENT LNDG AT HIS DEST ARPT, A PA-31T CHEYENNE PLT HAS A PROB CONVINCING THE FAA THAT HE CAN FLY HIS ACFT HOME WITHOUT THE FAILED PRESSURIZATION SYS HAVING TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A NON EXISTENT MEL FOR THAT ACFT AT MKT, MN.

Narrative: WE WERE AT FL220 WHEN CABIN PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL WENT TO ZERO AFTER A LOUD POP AND AIR RUSHING THROUGH COCKPIT. I IMMEDIATELY DONNED OXYGEN MASK AND STARTED A STEEP DSCNT. AT THE SAME TIME ATC WAS TELLING ME TO CHANGE TO ANOTHER FREQ. THEN ATC SAID 'I SHOW YOU 500 FT LOW.' I REPLIED 'I AM TRYING TO TELL YOU I HAVE HAD A CATASTROPHIC PRESSURE FAILURE AND DECLARING AN EMER. I AM DSNDING TO 15000 FT.' ATC THEN OK'ED ME TO 15000 FT. AFTER REACHING 15000 FT, I ASKED FOR 14000 FT AND WAS CLRED TO 14000 FT AND TOLD TO CHANGE TO OTHER SECTOR'S FREQ. WHEN OTHER FREQ WAS CONTACTED, I ASKED IF I NEEDED TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER, SINCE I HAD DECLARED AN EMER AND EVERYTHING WAS OK NOW. ATC ADVISED HE HAD NOT BEEN TOLD WE HAD DECLARED AN EMER AND WANTED TO KNOW IF WE NEEDED FURTHER ASSISTANCE. I REAFFIRMED WE WERE OK AND WE WERE GOING TO CONTINUE TO OUR DEST. I REMAINED ON OXYGEN UNTIL WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO MANKATO, MN (MKT). AFTER ARRIVING AT MANKATO, I WAS GIVEN A NOTE TO CALL FLT STANDARDS AND HE WAS TOLD EVERYTHING AND HE SAID OK, NO FURTHER ACTION WAS NECESSARY BUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GET A FERRY PERMIT TO RETURN TO OUR BASE (3DW) SPRINGFIELD, MO, DOWNTOWN. AFTER A SHORT DISCUSSION, HE AGREED TO SEND ME THE FORM FOR A FERRY PERMIT AND IF I DIDN'T THINK I NEEDED IT TO THROW IT AWAY. AFTER READING FAR 91.213, IT APPEARED I WOULD BE LEGAL TO PLACARD THE PRESSURIZATION CTLS AND RETURN HOME WITH MY PAX AT AN ALT BELOW 12000 FT. THE CHEYENNE DOES NOT HAVE AN MEL. BEFORE WE LEFT, A FLT STANDARDS MAN SHOWED UP TO RAMP CHK ME AND THE ACFT AND IF WE HAD EVERYTHING IN PROPER ORDER. I ASKED HIM ABOUT PLACARDING THE PRESSURIZATION AND CONTINUING BACK HOME AND HE ADVISED PART 91.213 SAYS EVERYTHING MUST BE WORKING. I POINTED OUT THAT WE DID NOT HAVE AN MEL AND HE ADVISED HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT MEL'S.

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.

After an emergency descent and subsequent landing at his destination airport, a PA-31T cheyenne pilot has a problem convincing the FAA that he can fly his aircraft home without the failed pressurization system having to be associated with a non existent MEL for that aircraft at mkt, mn.