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Loss of cabin pressure during climb induces flight crew to ask for lower altitude. Slow ARTCC radar controller response has crew call a potential emergency so as to get lower 'now.'
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 219220 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199208 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sat |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 219220 |
| 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 : 11000 flight time type : 1300 |
| ASRS Report | 218724 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
On climb out of crp while operating on only 1 air conditioning pack due to an mco on the other one, we noticed that the one operating pack was not maintaining cabin pressure. The cabin pressure was approximately 5000 ft and rising 700 to 800 FPM. We requested a lower altitude due to pressurization problems. A min or 2 later we were cleared to 22000 ft then 23000 ft. After leveling at FL230 we informed center that if we did not get a lower altitude, then we would have to declare an emergency in about a min and a half due to the fact the cabin altitude was now approaching 9000 ft. Center then assigned us 14000 ft and 270 degree heading for descent. At FL180 the cabin altitude was descending and the situation was under control. We then asked center if we could level off and continue at that altitude. We were cleared as requested. Center then asked us if the emergency was over. We said that it was. That was the first time the word emergency was mentioned since we first stated that we might have to declare one if our situation did not improve. The problem was that center thought we had declared an emergency when we had not. ATC and aircrews should be more clear when discussing emergencys.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE DURING CLB INDUCES FLC TO ASK FOR LOWER ALT. SLOW ARTCC RADAR CTLR RESPONSE HAS CREW CALL A POTENTIAL EMER SO AS TO GET LOWER 'NOW.'
Narrative: ON CLBOUT OF CRP WHILE OPERATING ON ONLY 1 AIR CONDITIONING PACK DUE TO AN MCO ON THE OTHER ONE, WE NOTICED THAT THE ONE OPERATING PACK WAS NOT MAINTAINING CABIN PRESSURE. THE CABIN PRESSURE WAS APPROX 5000 FT AND RISING 700 TO 800 FPM. WE REQUESTED A LOWER ALT DUE TO PRESSURIZATION PROBLEMS. A MIN OR 2 LATER WE WERE CLRED TO 22000 FT THEN 23000 FT. AFTER LEVELING AT FL230 WE INFORMED CTR THAT IF WE DID NOT GET A LOWER ALT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER IN ABOUT A MIN AND A HALF DUE TO THE FACT THE CABIN ALT WAS NOW APCHING 9000 FT. CTR THEN ASSIGNED US 14000 FT AND 270 DEG HDG FOR DSCNT. AT FL180 THE CABIN ALT WAS DSNDING AND THE SITUATION WAS UNDER CTL. WE THEN ASKED CTR IF WE COULD LEVEL OFF AND CONTINUE AT THAT ALT. WE WERE CLRED AS REQUESTED. CTR THEN ASKED US IF THE EMER WAS OVER. WE SAID THAT IT WAS. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE WORD EMER WAS MENTIONED SINCE WE FIRST STATED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO DECLARE ONE IF OUR SITUATION DID NOT IMPROVE. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT CTR THOUGHT WE HAD DECLARED AN EMER WHEN WE HAD NOT. ATC AND AIRCREWS SHOULD BE MORE CLR WHEN DISCUSSING EMERS.
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.