<< >> NASA ASRS Report 305447, May 1995

Flight crew experienced rapid depressurization, declared an emergency, executed an emergency descent and landed with a 13 KT tailwind due to more serious WX problems.

Attributes
ACN	305447
Time
Date	199505
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lbb
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 38600 msl bound upper : 38600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	305447
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departed F54 proceeding to sjc, climbing up to FL390. At FL386 heard a hissing sound from the door/cabin, then decompressed in about 5 seconds. Completed emergency flows and checklist and declared an emergency. Did a rapid descent to 10000 ft. ATC directed us to lbb, tx, where we did the ILS runway 26 with a 13 KT tailwind. We opted for the tailwind rather than a circle-to-land approach to runway 8 since it would be a circle with clouds near minimums for that approach. Landed, and proceeded to maintenance facility. We later found out the door seal failed causing the decompression. We both felt our training played a huge role in the successful outcome of the flight. Our only matter we felt a bit concerned with was landing with a 13 KT tailwind which exceeded our 10 KT tailwind limitation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC EXPERIENCED RAPID DEPRESSURIZATION, DECLARED AN EMER, EXECUTED AN EMER DSCNT AND LANDED WITH A 13 KT TAILWIND DUE TO MORE SERIOUS WX PROBS.

Narrative: DEPARTED F54 PROCEEDING TO SJC, CLBING UP TO FL390. AT FL386 HEARD A HISSING SOUND FROM THE DOOR/CABIN, THEN DECOMPRESSED IN ABOUT 5 SECONDS. COMPLETED EMER FLOWS AND CHKLIST AND DECLARED AN EMER. DID A RAPID DSCNT TO 10000 FT. ATC DIRECTED US TO LBB, TX, WHERE WE DID THE ILS RWY 26 WITH A 13 KT TAILWIND. WE OPTED FOR THE TAILWIND RATHER THAN A CIRCLE-TO-LAND APCH TO RWY 8 SINCE IT WOULD BE A CIRCLE WITH CLOUDS NEAR MINIMUMS FOR THAT APCH. LANDED, AND PROCEEDED TO MAINT FACILITY. WE LATER FOUND OUT THE DOOR SEAL FAILED CAUSING THE DECOMPRESSION. WE BOTH FELT OUR TRAINING PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF THE FLT. OUR ONLY MATTER WE FELT A BIT CONCERNED WITH WAS LNDG WITH A 13 KT TAILWIND WHICH EXCEEDED OUR 10 KT TAILWIND LIMITATION.

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.