During an arrival descent, flight crew of an medium large transport heard an odd hissing noise and found that the cockpit fire extinguisher was leaking.

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Attributes
ACN	321162
Time
Date	199511
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv tower : mmu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	321162
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I'm submitting this report purely for information in the on-going investigation into the crash of the B737 in pittsburgh. I know the investigation board is still actively pursuing noises in the cockpit relative to this accident. I hope you will forward my report to the NTSB for evaluation. We were on a routine descent into den IAP in VMC conditions. All aircraft system were operations normal. Passing through 18000 ft, we suddenly heard a 'pssssst' noise coming from behind the first officer's seat. Cabin rate of descent was normal and all windows were sound. After 30-40 seconds of searching, we found the problem, the halon fire extinguisher mounted behind the first officer seat. The extinguisher was leaking around the top where the discharge hose enters the metal canister. No foam or vapor was present and no odor was detected. We called the first flight attendant and had the extinguisher removed to the forward lavatory and discharged. The remainder of the descent and landing were normal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING AN ARR DSCNT, FLC OF AN MLG HEARD AN ODD HISSING NOISE AND FOUND THAT THE COCKPIT FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS LEAKING.

Narrative: I'M SUBMITTING THIS RPT PURELY FOR INFO IN THE ON-GOING INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRASH OF THE B737 IN PITTSBURGH. I KNOW THE INVESTIGATION BOARD IS STILL ACTIVELY PURSUING NOISES IN THE COCKPIT RELATIVE TO THIS ACCIDENT. I HOPE YOU WILL FORWARD MY RPT TO THE NTSB FOR EVALUATION. WE WERE ON A ROUTINE DSCNT INTO DEN IAP IN VMC CONDITIONS. ALL ACFT SYS WERE OPS NORMAL. PASSING THROUGH 18000 FT, WE SUDDENLY HEARD A 'PSSSSST' NOISE COMING FROM BEHIND THE FO'S SEAT. CABIN RATE OF DSCNT WAS NORMAL AND ALL WINDOWS WERE SOUND. AFTER 30-40 SECONDS OF SEARCHING, WE FOUND THE PROB, THE HALON FIRE EXTINGUISHER MOUNTED BEHIND THE FO SEAT. THE EXTINGUISHER WAS LEAKING AROUND THE TOP WHERE THE DISCHARGE HOSE ENTERS THE METAL CANISTER. NO FOAM OR VAPOR WAS PRESENT AND NO ODOR WAS DETECTED. WE CALLED THE FIRST FLT ATTENDANT AND HAD THE EXTINGUISHER REMOVED TO THE FORWARD LAVATORY AND DISCHARGED. THE REMAINDER OF THE DSCNT AND LNDG WERE NORMAL.

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.