Shortly after departure B763 crew experiences failure of center hydraulic system.

Attributes
ACN	616974
Time
Date	200405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zfw.artcc
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc tower : dfw.tower tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise : holding landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	616974
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After departing dfw, we encountered numerous thunderstorms building rapidly. While maneuvering the aircraft to avoid these thunderstorms, we were alerted to an aircraft problem with a number of lights and audible tones. These indications, after further analysis, indicated that the center hydraulic system had failed. We subsequently responded by reviewing the QRH handbook for the proper procedure. We orbited over wichita falls, tx, while we went through our emergency checklist. We then determined that we were returning to dfw and an emergency was declared with ZFW for possible future hydraulic problems and the possibility of not having directional control upon landing. Crash fire rescue equipment was also notified of our situation. The thunderstorm that we went through was rapidly approaching the airport and that was another concern of ours. After getting the flaps and gear down by the alternate means, we proceeded to the airport. The landing was uneventful and after crash fire rescue equipment inspected the aircraft, we proceeded to taxi back to the gate so we could deplane all 133 passenger as soon as we could.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SHORTLY AFTER DEP B763 CREW EXPERIENCES FAILURE OF CTR HYD SYS.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING DFW, WE ENCOUNTERED NUMEROUS TSTMS BUILDING RAPIDLY. WHILE MANEUVERING THE ACFT TO AVOID THESE TSTMS, WE WERE ALERTED TO AN ACFT PROB WITH A NUMBER OF LIGHTS AND AUDIBLE TONES. THESE INDICATIONS, AFTER FURTHER ANALYSIS, INDICATED THAT THE CTR HYD SYS HAD FAILED. WE SUBSEQUENTLY RESPONDED BY REVIEWING THE QRH HANDBOOK FOR THE PROPER PROC. WE ORBITED OVER WICHITA FALLS, TX, WHILE WE WENT THROUGH OUR EMER CHKLIST. WE THEN DETERMINED THAT WE WERE RETURNING TO DFW AND AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH ZFW FOR POSSIBLE FUTURE HYD PROBS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF NOT HAVING DIRECTIONAL CTL UPON LNDG. CFR WAS ALSO NOTIFIED OF OUR SIT. THE TSTM THAT WE WENT THROUGH WAS RAPIDLY APCHING THE ARPT AND THAT WAS ANOTHER CONCERN OF OURS. AFTER GETTING THE FLAPS AND GEAR DOWN BY THE ALTERNATE MEANS, WE PROCEEDED TO THE ARPT. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND AFTER CFR INSPECTED THE ACFT, WE PROCEEDED TO TAXI BACK TO THE GATE SO WE COULD DEPLANE ALL 133 PAX AS SOON AS WE COULD.

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.