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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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A320 aircraft in cruise had #1 engine interface unit fault. Though the fault should not cause air conditioning pack faults, apparently some interface with other computers contributed to the packs shutting down. Due to high minimum en route altitude structure on the airway the flight crew had to descend more slowly resulting in the oxygen masks deploying and a passenger became excited and passed out. The flight crew diverted to a close airport and landed uneventfully.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 382235 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199710 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pv |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : mmzt |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 768 |
| ASRS Report | 382235 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
We had a #1 engine interface unit fault at cruise climb taking off out of pvr to ord. This fault caused both air conditioning pressurization packs to shut down due to abnormal #1 engine readings. We had to execute a slow descent due to high MEA's, dropping the oxygen masks in the cabin. This excited a passenger causing her to pass out, this adding a medical emergency. We landed at the closest suitable airport which was mmdo. The WX was clear and the landing and the rest uneventful. My suggestion to airbus is to have the engine interface unit to shut down only the associated pack. The other side could then be used for pressurization which could give the crew more possible solutions for a safe landing and outcome.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A320 ACFT IN CRUISE HAD #1 ENG INTERFACE UNIT FAULT. THOUGH THE FAULT SHOULD NOT CAUSE AIR CONDITIONING PACK FAULTS, APPARENTLY SOME INTERFACE WITH OTHER COMPUTERS CONTRIBUTED TO THE PACKS SHUTTING DOWN. DUE TO HIGH MINIMUM ENRTE ALT STRUCTURE ON THE AIRWAY THE FLC HAD TO DSND MORE SLOWLY RESULTING IN THE OXYGEN MASKS DEPLOYING AND A PAX BECAME EXCITED AND PASSED OUT. THE FLC DIVERTED TO A CLOSE ARPT AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY.
Narrative: WE HAD A #1 ENG INTERFACE UNIT FAULT AT CRUISE CLB TAKING OFF OUT OF PVR TO ORD. THIS FAULT CAUSED BOTH AIR CONDITIONING PRESSURIZATION PACKS TO SHUT DOWN DUE TO ABNORMAL #1 ENG READINGS. WE HAD TO EXECUTE A SLOW DSCNT DUE TO HIGH MEA'S, DROPPING THE OXYGEN MASKS IN THE CABIN. THIS EXCITED A PAX CAUSING HER TO PASS OUT, THIS ADDING A MEDICAL EMER. WE LANDED AT THE CLOSEST SUITABLE ARPT WHICH WAS MMDO. THE WX WAS CLR AND THE LNDG AND THE REST UNEVENTFUL. MY SUGGESTION TO AIRBUS IS TO HAVE THE ENG INTERFACE UNIT TO SHUT DOWN ONLY THE ASSOCIATED PACK. THE OTHER SIDE COULD THEN BE USED FOR PRESSURIZATION WHICH COULD GIVE THE CREW MORE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR A SAFE LNDG AND OUTCOME.
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.