Narrative:

During cruise flight the first officer noticed the right hydraulic quantity was low, below 4 qts and just above the red arc. The hydraulic pumps were 'off' and 'low.' the quantity was stable. The right hydraulic pump was placed to the 'high' position and the quantity decreased. The right hydraulic pump was placed 'off' but the rudder control went 'manual' and the 'low' position showed no fluid loss so the right hydraulic system pumps were left in 'low' and 'off.' the dispatcher and maintenance control were notified and the quantity monitored. The aircraft was configured for landing early down to flaps 15 degrees, slats extended using the left hydraulic system in 'high' and 'off.' the right system pump was placed to 'high,' the gear extended normally and the right system returned to 'low' and 'off.' with gear extension the right quantity went to 1/2 qt remaining and we anticipated total fluid loss. An emergency was declared because we were asked to keep our speed up to 180 KTS on final, a wet runway was going to be used and we wanted emergency equipment immediately available. An uneventful 50 degree flap landing was made. A deadheading crew member was on board. We should have called him up and gotten his input. The flight attendant was advised we were concerned with the amount of fluid in the system but was surprised at the emergency equipment. The flight attendant should have been appraised of how grave we (the pilots) felt it to be and what to expect.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF MLG ACR ACFT REQUESTED THAT EMER GND EQUIP STANDBY DURING LNDG DUE TO LOSS OF MOST HYD SYS OIL TO OPERATE NORMAL WING FLAPS, SPOILERS, SLOTS, LNDG GEAR AND BRAKES. HOWEVER, FLC OVERCAME SYS PROB AND MADE SUCCESSFUL LNDG.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE FLT THE FO NOTICED THE R HYD QUANTITY WAS LOW, BELOW 4 QTS AND JUST ABOVE THE RED ARC. THE HYD PUMPS WERE 'OFF' AND 'LOW.' THE QUANTITY WAS STABLE. THE R HYD PUMP WAS PLACED TO THE 'HIGH' POS AND THE QUANTITY DECREASED. THE R HYD PUMP WAS PLACED 'OFF' BUT THE RUDDER CTL WENT 'MANUAL' AND THE 'LOW' POS SHOWED NO FLUID LOSS SO THE R HYD SYS PUMPS WERE L IN 'LOW' AND 'OFF.' THE DISPATCHER AND MAINT CTL WERE NOTIFIED AND THE QUANTITY MONITORED. THE ACFT WAS CONFIGURED FOR LNDG EARLY DOWN TO FLAPS 15 DEGS, SLATS EXTENDED USING THE L HYD SYS IN 'HIGH' AND 'OFF.' THE R SYS PUMP WAS PLACED TO 'HIGH,' THE GEAR EXTENDED NORMALLY AND THE R SYS RETURNED TO 'LOW' AND 'OFF.' WITH GEAR EXTENSION THE R QUANTITY WENT TO 1/2 QT REMAINING AND WE ANTICIPATED TOTAL FLUID LOSS. AN EMER WAS DECLARED BECAUSE WE WERE ASKED TO KEEP OUR SPD UP TO 180 KTS ON FINAL, A WET RWY WAS GOING TO BE USED AND WE WANTED EMER EQUIP IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE. AN UNEVENTFUL 50 DEG FLAP LNDG WAS MADE. A DEADHEADING CREW MEMBER WAS ON BOARD. WE SHOULD HAVE CALLED HIM UP AND GOTTEN HIS INPUT. THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS ADVISED WE WERE CONCERNED WITH THE AMOUNT OF FLUID IN THE SYS BUT WAS SURPRISED AT THE EMER EQUIP. THE FLT ATTENDANT SHOULD HAVE BEEN APPRAISED OF HOW GRAVE WE (THE PLTS) FELT IT TO BE AND WHAT TO EXPECT.

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.