Narrative:

We were on a DOE freight mission, public aircraft, in an mdt from abq to vbg. At palmdale VOR, I noticed that the hydraulic quantity indicator for the #2 system was slightly above 3 quarts. In abq, before start, it was at 2 3/4. I watched the gauge and when it had climbed to 3 1/2, I called our mechanic forward to look at it. (Our mechanics go with us on freight missions.) at this time, all other indications were normal. The mechanic swapped gauges to see if it was a faulty gauge. The problem stayed with the #2 system. At this time, the quantity had increased to 4 1/2 quarts (this is reservoir capacity) and we got a brief flicker of the #4 hydraulic pump caution light. The quantity increased to 5 and the #4 hydraulic pump caution light came on steady. Approximately 1 min later the #3 hydraulic pump caution light came on and the #2 system pressure went to 0. We immediately declared an emergency. We were 90 mi from vbg. The time that had elapsed between first indication and declaration of the emergency was 11 mins. We continued to vbg and landed uneventfully. All procedures and FARS were followed. The reason why this was deemed an incident is because when we lost our #2 system, we lost use of our outboard spoilers, which is a flight control malfunction. According to the regulations, that is an incident. We also lost nosewheel steering, emergency park brake and our gear. We had to emergency extend our gear. The NTSB was notified and they said they would come out on thu morning to investigate (4/thu/92) we waited all day and they didn't show. The company told us to go to the hotel and we later learned that the NTSB decided they did not need to investigate. Our maintenance believes that the #4 hydraulic pump pin sheared and contaminated the hydraulic fluid causing the other pump to fail in the #2 system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GOV OPERATED MDT ACFT LOST ALL HYD SYS USE AT CRUISE RESULTING IN LNDG AT DEST WITH INOP OUTBOARD SPOILERS, NOSE GEAR STEERING, EMER PARK BRAKE AND LNDG GEAR EXTENSION (GEAR WAS MANUALLY OPERATED).

Narrative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

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.