Loss of hydraulic system-a irregular procedure followed.

Attributes
ACN	172695
Time
Date	199103
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jst
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	172695
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At altitudes, the hydraulic-a engine pump fail light came on. Secured that pump and called for checklist. During the process the electric pump light came on and fluid quantity went to 0. Our system-a pressure went to 0. Completed all abnormal procedures as per the aircraft handbook. Landed in phl with manual gear extension procedures. Did not declare an emergency, but had emergency equipment standing by (this is an abnormal, not an emergency). In retrospect, as far as safety, all system and procedures worked very well. The only improvement I can think of, and this would be only for mechanical monetary reasons, would be to immediately shut off both hydraulic pumps to conserve whatever fluid is left to prevent any pumps from running dry and precluding the necessity to replace the pumps when it was a leak in the hydraulic lines.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF HYDRAULIC SYSTEM-A IRREGULAR PROC FOLLOWED.

Narrative: AT ALTS, THE HYD-A ENG PUMP FAIL LIGHT CAME ON. SECURED THAT PUMP AND CALLED FOR CHKLIST. DURING THE PROCESS THE ELECTRIC PUMP LIGHT CAME ON AND FLUID QUANTITY WENT TO 0. OUR SYS-A PRESSURE WENT TO 0. COMPLETED ALL ABNORMAL PROCS AS PER THE ACFT HANDBOOK. LANDED IN PHL WITH MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION PROCS. DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER, BUT HAD EMER EQUIP STANDING BY (THIS IS AN ABNORMAL, NOT AN EMER). IN RETROSPECT, AS FAR AS SAFETY, ALL SYS AND PROCS WORKED VERY WELL. THE ONLY IMPROVEMENT I CAN THINK OF, AND THIS WOULD BE ONLY FOR MECHANICAL MONETARY REASONS, WOULD BE TO IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF BOTH HYD PUMPS TO CONSERVE WHATEVER FLUID IS LEFT TO PREVENT ANY PUMPS FROM RUNNING DRY AND PRECLUDING THE NECESSITY TO REPLACE THE PUMPS WHEN IT WAS A LEAK IN THE HYD LINES.

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.