Rapid decompression forces crew to execute emergency descent.

Attributes
ACN	115696
Time
Date	198906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hnl
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhn
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	115696
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	115234
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Climb to FL330 was uneventful, no pressurization abnormalities were noted. Upon leveling, we heard a hissing sound that suddenly grew louder, followed by a loud bang. At the same instant the cabin altitude which was approximately 5000' began a climb at over 6000 FPM. I immediately executed the phase one items of the emergency checklist in an attempt to restore the cabin. I could not control or slow the rate of climb and advised the captain that we would have to descend. I then physically deployed the passenger oxygen masks prior to the automatic system doing so. The captain and first officer began an immediate descent to 10,000'. In the descent the captain advised the F/a and passenger of our problem and advised we would be descending to 10,000' and returning to honolulu. We descended to 10,000', dumped fuel and returned to honolulu. One passenger needed medical attention upon arrival in honolulu. The cabin caught up with the aircraft in our descent through 27,000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RAPID DECOMPRESSION FORCES CREW TO EXECUTE EMERGENCY DESCENT.

Narrative: CLIMB TO FL330 WAS UNEVENTFUL, NO PRESSURIZATION ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED. UPON LEVELING, WE HEARD A HISSING SOUND THAT SUDDENLY GREW LOUDER, FOLLOWED BY A LOUD BANG. AT THE SAME INSTANT THE CABIN ALT WHICH WAS APPROX 5000' BEGAN A CLIMB AT OVER 6000 FPM. I IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED THE PHASE ONE ITEMS OF THE EMER CHECKLIST IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESTORE THE CABIN. I COULD NOT CONTROL OR SLOW THE RATE OF CLIMB AND ADVISED THE CAPT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DSND. I THEN PHYSICALLY DEPLOYED THE PAX OXYGEN MASKS PRIOR TO THE AUTOMATIC SYSTEM DOING SO. THE CAPT AND F/O BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 10,000'. IN THE DSCNT THE CAPT ADVISED THE F/A AND PAX OF OUR PROBLEM AND ADVISED WE WOULD BE DESCENDING TO 10,000' AND RETURNING TO HONOLULU. WE DESCENDED TO 10,000', DUMPED FUEL AND RETURNED TO HONOLULU. ONE PAX NEEDED MEDICAL ATTN UPON ARRIVAL IN HONOLULU. THE CABIN CAUGHT UP WITH THE ACFT IN OUR DSCNT THROUGH 27,000'.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.