Flight crew of air carrier medium large transport aircraft experienced an aircraft pressurization pr...

Attributes
ACN	228400
Time
Date	199212
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 10800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : noise abatement departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	228400
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	228682
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On climb out of washington national airport, captain and first officer were intent on complying with noise abatement track up the potomac river, and insuring anti-ice protection was operating. The after takeoff check was delayed, so the cabin pressurization check was not accomplished as soon as normal. At 10500 ft a cabin altitude alert sounded and aircraft was leveled off at 10800 ft. Pressurization controller was switched from automatic 1 to automatic 2 with no effect. No automatic pressurization failure of either system was annunciated. Pressurization controller was switched to manual mode, and cabin control was restored. Decision to continue to boston at an altitude below FL250 was made and no further problems were encountered during climb, cruise, or descent. The workload was significantly increased for a 2 man cockpit. The interaction with ATC controllers was wonderful, they were most accommodating to our requests. A descent was initiated sooner than normal at a slower descent rate so cabin control could be maintained easier. Landing at boston was uneventful. As far as recommendations, I believe that the difficulty encountered in this situation was compounded by the 2 man crew in a high density area with 'goofy' noise abatement procedures. The workload for the 2 man crew in this area is high under normal conditions, with an abnormal situation introduced the workload increases exponentially.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR MLG ACFT EXPERIENCED AN ACFT PRESSURIZATION PROBLEM DURING DEP CLB RESULTING IN AMENDING CLRNC AND OPERATING AT A LOWER ALT TO DEST.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OF WASHINGTON NATIONAL ARPT, CAPT AND FO WERE INTENT ON COMPLYING WITH NOISE ABATEMENT TRACK UP THE POTOMAC RIVER, AND INSURING ANTI-ICE PROTECTION WAS OPERATING. THE AFTER TKOF CHK WAS DELAYED, SO THE CABIN PRESSURIZATION CHK WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED AS SOON AS NORMAL. AT 10500 FT A CABIN ALT ALERT SOUNDED AND ACFT WAS LEVELED OFF AT 10800 FT. PRESSURIZATION CTLR WAS SWITCHED FROM AUTO 1 TO AUTO 2 WITH NO EFFECT. NO AUTO PRESSURIZATION FAILURE OF EITHER SYS WAS ANNUNCIATED. PRESSURIZATION CTLR WAS SWITCHED TO MANUAL MODE, AND CABIN CTL WAS RESTORED. DECISION TO CONTINUE TO BOSTON AT AN ALT BELOW FL250 WAS MADE AND NO FURTHER PROBLEMS WERE ENCOUNTERED DURING CLB, CRUISE, OR DSCNT. THE WORKLOAD WAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED FOR A 2 MAN COCKPIT. THE INTERACTION WITH ATC CTLRS WAS WONDERFUL, THEY WERE MOST ACCOMMODATING TO OUR REQUESTS. A DSCNT WAS INITIATED SOONER THAN NORMAL AT A SLOWER DSCNT RATE SO CABIN CTL COULD BE MAINTAINED EASIER. LNDG AT BOSTON WAS UNEVENTFUL. AS FAR AS RECOMMENDATIONS, I BELIEVE THAT THE DIFFICULTY ENCOUNTERED IN THIS SITUATION WAS COMPOUNDED BY THE 2 MAN CREW IN A HIGH DENSITY AREA WITH 'GOOFY' NOISE ABATEMENT PROCS. THE WORKLOAD FOR THE 2 MAN CREW IN THIS AREA IS HIGH UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, WITH AN ABNORMAL SITUATION INTRODUCED THE WORKLOAD INCREASES EXPONENTIALLY.

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.

Flight crew of air carrier medium large transport aircraft experienced an aircraft pressurization problem during departure climb resulting in amending clearance and operating at a lower altitude to destination.