<< >> NASA ASRS Report 357712, January 1997

MD80 super 80 had to return land dfw because a door improperly sealed made it impossible to pressurize the aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	357712
Time
Date	199701
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw tower : ykm
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	357712
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departing dfw for pdx noticed pressure fluctuations, adjusted rate knob and checked control lever in autoflt. Was cleared to 14000 ft, climbing through 10000 ft I realized pressure controller had transferred to standby and flow light illuminated. Cabin altitude was 7000 ft and climbing, outflow valve was full closed. I instructed first officer, PF, to level off below 14000 ft and requested lower altitude for pressure problems. ATC cleared us to 10000 ft. Cabin altitude warning illuminated as cabin climbed slowly through 10000 ft, however, automatic mask deployment was averted. #4 flight attendant called from aft cabin. Aft galley door seal appeared partly out/twisted, but door handle appeared locked. Air noise from door was so loud that communication was almost impossible. Pressure could not be restored by OM procedure. I requested vectors back to dfw for a precautionary landing at a normal ldng weight of 127000 pounds. Maintenance met aircraft at gate, recycled door, reset seal. Pressure system checked normal and aircraft was redispatched with same crew to pdx. Next flight uneventful. Do not believe any far violations occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 SUPER 80 HAD TO RETURN LAND DFW BECAUSE A DOOR IMPROPERLY SEALED MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PRESSURIZE THE ACFT.

Narrative: DEPARTING DFW FOR PDX NOTICED PRESSURE FLUCTUATIONS, ADJUSTED RATE KNOB AND CHKED CTL LEVER IN AUTOFLT. WAS CLRED TO 14000 FT, CLBING THROUGH 10000 FT I REALIZED PRESSURE CTLR HAD TRANSFERRED TO STANDBY AND FLOW LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CABIN ALT WAS 7000 FT AND CLBING, OUTFLOW VALVE WAS FULL CLOSED. I INSTRUCTED FO, PF, TO LEVEL OFF BELOW 14000 FT AND REQUESTED LOWER ALT FOR PRESSURE PROBS. ATC CLRED US TO 10000 FT. CABIN ALT WARNING ILLUMINATED AS CABIN CLBED SLOWLY THROUGH 10000 FT, HOWEVER, AUTO MASK DEPLOYMENT WAS AVERTED. #4 FLT ATTENDANT CALLED FROM AFT CABIN. AFT GALLEY DOOR SEAL APPEARED PARTLY OUT/TWISTED, BUT DOOR HANDLE APPEARED LOCKED. AIR NOISE FROM DOOR WAS SO LOUD THAT COM WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. PRESSURE COULD NOT BE RESTORED BY OM PROC. I REQUESTED VECTORS BACK TO DFW FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT A NORMAL LDNG WT OF 127000 LBS. MAINT MET ACFT AT GATE, RECYCLED DOOR, RESET SEAL. PRESSURE SYS CHKED NORMAL AND ACFT WAS REDISPATCHED WITH SAME CREW TO PDX. NEXT FLT UNEVENTFUL. DO NOT BELIEVE ANY FAR VIOLATIONS OCCURRED.

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.