Aircraft equipment problem malfunction mandates a return land. Flight crew upset over lack of immedi...

Attributes
ACN	280105
Time
Date	199408
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gso
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	280105
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During climb aircraft had the right air conditioning pack trip off, we reset it. Then we had a left 'wing body overheat' indication. We turned off the left pack and isolated the left side of pneumatic system. Subsequently the right pack tripped off again and we leveled off and tried to contact center to request a descent to 10000 ft, but when ZDC was talking to an aircraft on another frequency and would not acknowledge our calls. We reset right pack to maintain cabin pressure but it would trip off again shortly. Still unable to get ZDC (100 mi north of gso) we initiated a descent to 10000 ft and squawked transponder identify. ZDC responded and cleared us to 10000 ft. The center controller said he was working 3 separate frequencys. This unregulated (there are no rules on how many frequencys and how many aircraft a controller can work at the same time) procedure of controllers working multiple frequencys is a constant safety concern of pilots not being able to talk to controllers when operations require it. We called dispatch and coordinated a maintenance return to gso unpressurized. Cabin altitude never exceeded 6000 ft. Our flight altitude during climb topped at about 18000 ft. Maintenance write-ups had previously been made on both packs. We switched airplanes in gso and completed trip to phl.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB MALFUNCTION MANDATES A RETURN LAND. FLC UPSET OVER LACK OF IMMEDIATE COM CAPABILITIES WITH ZDC.

Narrative: DURING CLB ACFT HAD THE R AIR CONDITIONING PACK TRIP OFF, WE RESET IT. THEN WE HAD A L 'WING BODY OVERHEAT' INDICATION. WE TURNED OFF THE L PACK AND ISOLATED THE L SIDE OF PNEUMATIC SYS. SUBSEQUENTLY THE R PACK TRIPPED OFF AGAIN AND WE LEVELED OFF AND TRIED TO CONTACT CTR TO REQUEST A DSCNT TO 10000 FT, BUT WHEN ZDC WAS TALKING TO AN ACFT ON ANOTHER FREQ AND WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CALLS. WE RESET R PACK TO MAINTAIN CABIN PRESSURE BUT IT WOULD TRIP OFF AGAIN SHORTLY. STILL UNABLE TO GET ZDC (100 MI N OF GSO) WE INITIATED A DSCNT TO 10000 FT AND SQUAWKED XPONDER IDENT. ZDC RESPONDED AND CLRED US TO 10000 FT. THE CTR CTLR SAID HE WAS WORKING 3 SEPARATE FREQS. THIS UNREGULATED (THERE ARE NO RULES ON HOW MANY FREQS AND HOW MANY ACFT A CTLR CAN WORK AT THE SAME TIME) PROC OF CTLRS WORKING MULTIPLE FREQS IS A CONSTANT SAFETY CONCERN OF PLTS NOT BEING ABLE TO TALK TO CTLRS WHEN OPS REQUIRE IT. WE CALLED DISPATCH AND COORDINATED A MAINT RETURN TO GSO UNPRESSURIZED. CABIN ALT NEVER EXCEEDED 6000 FT. OUR FLT ALT DURING CLB TOPPED AT ABOUT 18000 FT. MAINT WRITE-UPS HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MADE ON BOTH PACKS. WE SWITCHED AIRPLANES IN GSO AND COMPLETED TRIP TO PHL.

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.

Aircraft equipment problem malfunction mandates a return land. Flight crew upset over lack of immediate communication capabilities with ZDC.