 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
B737 captain reported an inflight failure of the oxygen mask toggle switch; necessitating a descent and diversion to a suitable airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1660266 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201906 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.ARTCC |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Oxygen System/Crew |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying Captain |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 413 Flight Crew Type 7000 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical |
Narrative:
During crew bathroom break at FL390; I attempted to put on my oxygen mask as the first officer (first officer) was leaving the flight deck. One of the red quick don toggles broke as I was putting on the mask. Oxygen was continuously flowing out of the broken area where the toggle use to be. I was able to stop the flow by closing the mask door and pressing the reset. I took the second observer mask to use while the first officer was out. The mask barely reached the captains seat and also didn't allow for establishing communications in the event of a pressurization issue. I contacted dispatch and chief pilot operations center to discuss the issue and decided the safest course of action was to descend and divert. Dispatch recommended [an alternate] and fl 190 so we would be below landing weight. Upon further consideration the safest course would have been to descend directly to 10;000 ft. We accomplished the divert and landing with no further issues.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737 Captain reported an inflight failure of the oxygen mask toggle switch; necessitating a descent and diversion to a suitable airport.
Narrative: During crew bathroom break at FL390; I attempted to put on my oxygen mask as the F/O (First Officer) was leaving the flight deck. One of the red quick don toggles broke as I was putting on the mask. Oxygen was continuously flowing out of the broken area where the toggle use to be. I was able to stop the flow by closing the mask door and pressing the reset. I took the second observer mask to use while the F/O was out. The mask barely reached the Captains seat and also didn't allow for establishing communications in the event of a pressurization issue. I contacted Dispatch and Chief Pilot Operations Center to discuss the issue and decided the safest course of action was to descend and divert. Dispatch recommended [an alternate] and FL 190 so we would be below landing weight. Upon further consideration the safest course would have been to descend directly to 10;000 ft. We accomplished the divert and landing with no further issues.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.