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An air carrier B767 flight crew had both of the air conditioning and pressurization automatic controllers fail and the outflow valve malfunction. They were able to return to their airport of departure, but the reporter feels that the workload was excessive for a 2 person crew.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 399976 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199804 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : atl |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : atl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 399976 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 5400 |
| ASRS Report | 399299 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
During leveloff at 10000 ft, cabin altitude warning indicated we were not pressurizing. Appropriate checklists were complied with, and we returned to atl uneventfully. We were told both automatic pressurization controllers had failed, and the outflow valve did not operate properly. Aircraft had a history of similar pressurization problems. Although the return went smoothly, it was extremely busy in our 2-MAN cockpit -- abnormal checklists, normal descent, approach and before landing checklists, coordination with ATC for vectors and return to atl, notifying our dispatcher and maintenance of our situation, coordinating with flight attendants for our return, and making PA announcements to our passenger to explain the situation. Although I tried to stay in the loop as the PNF, it was difficult, and at times the captain was essentially flying solo. A third person (pilot jumpseater, etc) would have been very helpful to handle company communications, PA's, etc.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR B767 FLC HAD BOTH OF THE AIR CONDITIONING AND PRESSURIZATION AUTO CTLRS FAIL AND THE OUTFLOW VALVE MALFUNCTION. THEY WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR ARPT OF DEP, BUT THE RPTR FEELS THAT THE WORKLOAD WAS EXCESSIVE FOR A 2 PERSON CREW.
Narrative: DURING LEVELOFF AT 10000 FT, CABIN ALT WARNING INDICATED WE WERE NOT PRESSURIZING. APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS WERE COMPLIED WITH, AND WE RETURNED TO ATL UNEVENTFULLY. WE WERE TOLD BOTH AUTO PRESSURIZATION CTLRS HAD FAILED, AND THE OUTFLOW VALVE DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. ACFT HAD A HISTORY OF SIMILAR PRESSURIZATION PROBS. ALTHOUGH THE RETURN WENT SMOOTHLY, IT WAS EXTREMELY BUSY IN OUR 2-MAN COCKPIT -- ABNORMAL CHKLISTS, NORMAL DSCNT, APCH AND BEFORE LNDG CHKLISTS, COORD WITH ATC FOR VECTORS AND RETURN TO ATL, NOTIFYING OUR DISPATCHER AND MAINT OF OUR SIT, COORDINATING WITH FLT ATTENDANTS FOR OUR RETURN, AND MAKING PA ANNOUNCEMENTS TO OUR PAX TO EXPLAIN THE SIT. ALTHOUGH I TRIED TO STAY IN THE LOOP AS THE PNF, IT WAS DIFFICULT, AND AT TIMES THE CAPT WAS ESSENTIALLY FLYING SOLO. A THIRD PERSON (PLT JUMPSEATER, ETC) WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO HANDLE COMPANY COMS, PA'S, ETC.
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.