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MD80 flight crew reports inability to pressurize during climbout. Crew is able to manually control pressurization but flight attendant reservations induce crew to return for over weight landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 812725 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200811 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 812725 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 812724 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : company policies |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : diverted to another airport other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Aircraft did not pressurize. Leveled off at 10000 ft. We did the red box items and went to the QRH. Was able to regain control of pressurization using manual. #4 flight attendant communicated that there was air movement around aft galley door. I felt that the 2 items might be connected. I elected to return to ZZZ. I can't remember if I declared an emergency. We landed overweight by 1700 pounds. I told ATC that I did not need any assistance. However; I'm not sure if I declared an emergency on the radio. I think that after we leveled off and regained control of the pressurization; I felt that we had solved the problem and only needed to land. The overweight landing did not trigger the 'declare emergency' response; especially since we were on base to final when we were realizing it was an overweight landing. At my previous airline; an overweight landing was not considered an emergency; and that might have been a factor. My concern was to make a smooth touchdown. It was probably the smoothest of my career!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MD80 FLIGHT CREW REPORTS INABILITY TO PRESSURIZE DURING CLIMBOUT. CREW IS ABLE TO MANUALLY CONTROL PRESSURIZATION BUT FLIGHT ATTENDANT RESERVATIONS INDUCE CREW TO RETURN FOR OVER WEIGHT LANDING.
Narrative: ACFT DID NOT PRESSURIZE. LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT. WE DID THE RED BOX ITEMS AND WENT TO THE QRH. WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CTL OF PRESSURIZATION USING MANUAL. #4 FLT ATTENDANT COMMUNICATED THAT THERE WAS AIR MOVEMENT AROUND AFT GALLEY DOOR. I FELT THAT THE 2 ITEMS MIGHT BE CONNECTED. I ELECTED TO RETURN TO ZZZ. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I DECLARED AN EMER. WE LANDED OVERWT BY 1700 LBS. I TOLD ATC THAT I DID NOT NEED ANY ASSISTANCE. HOWEVER; I'M NOT SURE IF I DECLARED AN EMER ON THE RADIO. I THINK THAT AFTER WE LEVELED OFF AND REGAINED CTL OF THE PRESSURIZATION; I FELT THAT WE HAD SOLVED THE PROB AND ONLY NEEDED TO LAND. THE OVERWT LNDG DID NOT TRIGGER THE 'DECLARE EMER' RESPONSE; ESPECIALLY SINCE WE WERE ON BASE TO FINAL WHEN WE WERE REALIZING IT WAS AN OVERWT LNDG. AT MY PREVIOUS AIRLINE; AN OVERWT LNDG WAS NOT CONSIDERED AN EMER; AND THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. MY CONCERN WAS TO MAKE A SMOOTH TOUCHDOWN. IT WAS PROBABLY THE SMOOTHEST OF MY CAREER!
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.