Narrative:

Shortly after level off at FL330 east of grand rapids, en route to london heathrow, the left hydraulic system quantity began decreasing. After accomplishing checklist for the problem, we requested vectors for return to ord. The boeing 767 we were flying had no fuel dump system, and not wanting to stay airborne with 1 hydraulic system gone long enough to burn down to maximum landing weight, I elected to land overweight at ord. We did not request priority handling by ATC but did declare an emergency due to the fact that such a declaration is required whenever an overweight landing is anticipated. The aircraft was about 33000 plus pounds over maximum landing weight at touchdown, which was accomplished with about a 200 FPM sink rate. Crash/fire/rescue equipment and personnel inspected the landing gear after we cleared runway 9R, found no sign of damage or overheating, and I taxied the aircraft to the terminal and turned it over to maintenance. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter states that his air carrier policy is to call for the emergency equipment when making an overweight landing no emergency aid was needed. The landing was made on the longest runway closest into the wind. There was another aircraft waiting for the crew upon arrival. If one is to lose a hydraulic system on the B-767, the left one is the better to lose as it has the least responsibility. Supplemental information from acn 273942: our quick reference handbook (for emergency procedure) is poorly laid out. I spend too long looking for the correct situation in the quick reference handbook. It needs to be redesigned and/or changed to be more user friendly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF L HYD SYS.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER LEVEL OFF AT FL330 E OF GRAND RAPIDS, ENRTE TO LONDON HEATHROW, THE L HYD SYS QUANTITY BEGAN DECREASING. AFTER ACCOMPLISHING CHKLIST FOR THE PROB, WE REQUESTED VECTORS FOR RETURN TO ORD. THE BOEING 767 WE WERE FLYING HAD NO FUEL DUMP SYS, AND NOT WANTING TO STAY AIRBORNE WITH 1 HYD SYS GONE LONG ENOUGH TO BURN DOWN TO MAX LNDG WT, I ELECTED TO LAND OVERWT AT ORD. WE DID NOT REQUEST PRIORITY HANDLING BY ATC BUT DID DECLARE AN EMER DUE TO THE FACT THAT SUCH A DECLARATION IS REQUIRED WHENEVER AN OVERWT LNDG IS ANTICIPATED. THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 33000 PLUS LBS OVER MAX LNDG WT AT TOUCHDOWN, WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH ABOUT A 200 FPM SINK RATE. CRASH/FIRE/RESCUE EQUIP AND PERSONNEL INSPECTED THE LNDG GEAR AFTER WE CLRED RWY 9R, FOUND NO SIGN OF DAMAGE OR OVERHEATING, AND I TAXIED THE ACFT TO THE TERMINAL AND TURNED IT OVER TO MAINT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATES THAT HIS ACR POLICY IS TO CALL FOR THE EMER EQUIP WHEN MAKING AN OVERWT LNDG NO EMER AID WAS NEEDED. THE LNDG WAS MADE ON THE LONGEST RWY CLOSEST INTO THE WIND. THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT WAITING FOR THE CREW UPON ARR. IF ONE IS TO LOSE A HYD SYS ON THE B-767, THE L ONE IS THE BETTER TO LOSE AS IT HAS THE LEAST RESPONSIBILITY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 273942: OUR QUICK REF HANDBOOK (FOR EMER PROC) IS POORLY LAID OUT. I SPEND TOO LONG LOOKING FOR THE CORRECT SIT IN THE QUICK REF HANDBOOK. IT NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED AND/OR CHANGED TO BE MORE USER FRIENDLY.

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.