Narrative:

Flight made a diversion to abq due to a medical emergency (passenger). Diversion began from FL310, approximately 56 NM west of abq and the aircraft was at the gate in 20 mins or less. Workload in the cockpit was extremely high during this time frame (2-M crew, captain 2 yrs on aircraft, first officer 3 months) with multiple radio calls to center, approach, company, and coordination with cabin crew. Also in the process, the cabin altitude controller was not reset from scheduled destination (lax-127') to diversion airport elevation (abq-5352'). The result was that on arrival at the gate the aircraft was still pressurized and the cabin pressure had be dumped manually (both air condition packs were turned off and the cabin rate of climb pegged out at more than 2000 FPM) before the cabin doors could be opened. This scenario occurred because the workload in a 2-M crew, under stress, increased by the chance of error when required to make a manual change to an automatic control system in a highly automated aircraft. I believe that an automatic cabin pressure purge after T/D should be mandated for all passenger aircraft, especially those with 2-M crews.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB MADE A RAPID DESCENT AND DIVERSION TO ABQ WHEN A PASSENGER DEVELOPED SYMPTOMS INDICATING A POSSIBLE HEART ATTACK. FLT CREW FAILED TO ENTER FIELD ELEVATION INTO THE PRESSURIZATION CTL AND WERE UNABLE TO OPEN THE CABIN DOOR UNTIL THE PRESSURE WAS RELEASED.

Narrative: FLT MADE A DIVERSION TO ABQ DUE TO A MEDICAL EMER (PAX). DIVERSION BEGAN FROM FL310, APPROX 56 NM W OF ABQ AND THE ACFT WAS AT THE GATE IN 20 MINS OR LESS. WORKLOAD IN THE COCKPIT WAS EXTREMELY HIGH DURING THIS TIME FRAME (2-M CREW, CAPT 2 YRS ON ACFT, F/O 3 MONTHS) WITH MULTIPLE RADIO CALLS TO CENTER, APCH, COMPANY, AND COORD WITH CABIN CREW. ALSO IN THE PROCESS, THE CABIN ALT CTLR WAS NOT RESET FROM SCHEDULED DEST (LAX-127') TO DIVERSION ARPT ELEVATION (ABQ-5352'). THE RESULT WAS THAT ON ARR AT THE GATE THE ACFT WAS STILL PRESSURIZED AND THE CABIN PRESSURE HAD BE DUMPED MANUALLY (BOTH AIR CONDITION PACKS WERE TURNED OFF AND THE CABIN RATE OF CLB PEGGED OUT AT MORE THAN 2000 FPM) BEFORE THE CABIN DOORS COULD BE OPENED. THIS SCENARIO OCCURRED BECAUSE THE WORKLOAD IN A 2-M CREW, UNDER STRESS, INCREASED BY THE CHANCE OF ERROR WHEN REQUIRED TO MAKE A MANUAL CHANGE TO AN AUTOMATIC CTL SYS IN A HIGHLY AUTOMATED ACFT. I BELIEVE THAT AN AUTOMATIC CABIN PRESSURE PURGE AFTER T/D SHOULD BE MANDATED FOR ALL PAX ACFT, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH 2-M CREWS.

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.