<< >> NASA ASRS Report 597689, October 2003

B777-200 crew was unable to pressurize the aircraft after departure. Maintenance MEL'ed the outflow valve full open, rather than 93% closed. The crew returned to the airport.

Attributes
ACN	597689
Time
Date	200310
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	597689
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After takeoff denver, we found we were unable to pressurize airplane. Returned and landed at den after talking to dispatch. We received maintenance release document at last min before pushback, noted deferred aft outflow valve and MEL placard. With the valve deactivated, there is no cockpit indication as to valve position. Valve was to be deactivated 93% closed. After return to den, we were told the valve had been deactivated in the open position. This was the third aircraft assigned to this flight and therefore the third set of paperwork to sort through prior to departure. En route, before return to den, attempted to talk to maintenance controller but communication kept disconnecting. Followed SOP's.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777-200 CREW WAS UNABLE TO PRESSURIZE THE ACFT AFTER DEP. MAINT MEL'ED THE OUTFLOW VALVE FULL OPEN, RATHER THAN 93% CLOSED. THE CREW RETURNED TO THE ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF DENVER, WE FOUND WE WERE UNABLE TO PRESSURIZE AIRPLANE. RETURNED AND LANDED AT DEN AFTER TALKING TO DISPATCH. WE RECEIVED MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT AT LAST MIN BEFORE PUSHBACK, NOTED DEFERRED AFT OUTFLOW VALVE AND MEL PLACARD. WITH THE VALVE DEACTIVATED, THERE IS NO COCKPIT INDICATION AS TO VALVE POS. VALVE WAS TO BE DEACTIVATED 93% CLOSED. AFTER RETURN TO DEN, WE WERE TOLD THE VALVE HAD BEEN DEACTIVATED IN THE OPEN POS. THIS WAS THE THIRD ACFT ASSIGNED TO THIS FLT AND THEREFORE THE THIRD SET OF PAPERWORK TO SORT THROUGH PRIOR TO DEP. ENRTE, BEFORE RETURN TO DEN, ATTEMPTED TO TALK TO MAINT CTLR BUT COM KEPT DISCONNECTING. FOLLOWED SOP'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.