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A mechanic reports a water separator duct clamp due to continuous use failed causing a B727-200 to lose pressurization.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 373920 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199707 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bdl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| ASRS Report | 373920 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Heading to AAA, increasing in altitude, maintaining pressurization, a loss of pressurization occurred. Flight crew dropped in altitude to maintain pressurization. It was discovered that the l-hand water separator forward clamp came off the can. The clamp and o-ring was replaced. Leak checked ok. I believe the cause of the problem is the clamps. The B727's are showing their age. The amount of times the condenser bags have been changed, the clamps are not replaced. Eventually the clamp's ability to maintain a proper fit when correctly torqued (even safetied to keep clamp latch secured) will eventually fail. The a&P's have no way of knowing of this failure even when you perform a leak check. The clamps should be changed after so many hours of use.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A MECH RPTS A WATER SEPARATOR DUCT CLAMP DUE TO CONTINUOUS USE FAILED CAUSING A B727-200 TO LOSE PRESSURIZATION.
Narrative: HDG TO AAA, INCREASING IN ALT, MAINTAINING PRESSURIZATION, A LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION OCCURRED. FLC DROPPED IN ALT TO MAINTAIN PRESSURIZATION. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE L-HAND WATER SEPARATOR FORWARD CLAMP CAME OFF THE CAN. THE CLAMP AND O-RING WAS REPLACED. LEAK CHKED OK. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THE PROB IS THE CLAMPS. THE B727'S ARE SHOWING THEIR AGE. THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THE CONDENSER BAGS HAVE BEEN CHANGED, THE CLAMPS ARE NOT REPLACED. EVENTUALLY THE CLAMP'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN A PROPER FIT WHEN CORRECTLY TORQUED (EVEN SAFETIED TO KEEP CLAMP LATCH SECURED) WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL. THE A&P'S HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING OF THIS FAILURE EVEN WHEN YOU PERFORM A LEAK CHK. THE CLAMPS SHOULD BE CHANGED AFTER SO MANY HRS OF USE.
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.