 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An A300 flight crew have to declare an emergency and perform an emergency descent due to an outflow valve being stuck in the open position.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 615319 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200404 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zny.artcc |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl single value : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 615319 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
While cruising at FL310, ECAM gave a continuous chime and master warning indicating a loss of cabin altitude. While not an explosive decompression, the cabin rate of climb necessitated an immediate emergency descent to prevent mask deployment. An emergency was declared and 7700 was squawked. At this time the cabin outflow valves showed fully open. The overboard avionics cooling vent was placarded and was showing xx for the valve position on ECAM. Occasionally the xx's gave way to the proper valve position display. During one of these transitory displays, the valve showed fully open. The maximum cabin altitude was about 11000 ft and started to descend only when the aircraft altitude passed 11000 ft. We made one 360 degree turn in the vicinity of phl airport to burn fuel and landed normally at 308000 pounds. To my knowledge there were no reported problems from the passenger.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A300 FLT CREW HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER AND PERFORM AN EMER DSCNT DUE TO AN OUTFLOW VALVE BEING STUCK IN THE OPEN POS.
Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL310, ECAM GAVE A CONTINUOUS CHIME AND MASTER WARNING INDICATING A LOSS OF CABIN ALT. WHILE NOT AN EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION, THE CABIN RATE OF CLB NECESSITATED AN IMMEDIATE EMER DSCNT TO PREVENT MASK DEPLOYMENT. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND 7700 WAS SQUAWKED. AT THIS TIME THE CABIN OUTFLOW VALVES SHOWED FULLY OPEN. THE OVERBOARD AVIONICS COOLING VENT WAS PLACARDED AND WAS SHOWING XX FOR THE VALVE POS ON ECAM. OCCASIONALLY THE XX'S GAVE WAY TO THE PROPER VALVE POS DISPLAY. DURING ONE OF THESE TRANSITORY DISPLAYS, THE VALVE SHOWED FULLY OPEN. THE MAX CABIN ALT WAS ABOUT 11000 FT AND STARTED TO DSND ONLY WHEN THE ACFT ALT PASSED 11000 FT. WE MADE ONE 360 DEG TURN IN THE VICINITY OF PHL ARPT TO BURN FUEL AND LANDED NORMALLY AT 308000 LBS. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE WERE NO RPTED PROBS FROM THE PAX.
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.