An A320 at FL290 received an ECAM warning of the cabin altitude climbing above the desired altitude. Second ECAM warning indicated that both air conditioning packs had faults. Aircraft descended to safe altitude where the air conditioning packs were recycled off to on which restored normal operation. The aircraft continued to destination.

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Attributes
ACN	432694
Time
Date	199903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : gck.vortac
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	432694
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At FL290 (30 mi wsw gck) crew got ECAM warning 'cabpr safety valve open.' lower ecas confirmed safety valve full open, cabin attendant intersection at 9.8, cabin attendant vertical speed 200-250 FPM up. Crew donned oxygen masks as precaution, asked for lower altitude (10000 ft). 1 min later crew received second ECAM warning 'air pack #1 and #2 fault.' lower ECAM confirmed both pack valves full closed. Cabin attendant vertical speed at 450 FPM up. Increased rate of descent to 10000 ft, cycled both packs offirst officern twice. At +/-15000 ft, regained control of packs, requested diversion to ict. Leveled at 10000 ft and conferred with maintenance control and dispatch in phx. At 10000 ft, packs normal, safety valve normal (closed), all system normal. It was mutually agreed as long as system remained normal, continue to jfk. Climbed to FL370 and continued to jfk with no events. Made logbook 'information only' and in jfk, briefed outbound crew. At no time was an emergency declared, but crew notified ATC of a pressure control problem. At no time did cabin altitude exceed 9000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 AT FL290 RECEIVED AN ECAM WARNING OF THE CABIN ALT CLBING ABOVE THE DESIRED ALT. SECOND ECAM WARNING INDICATED THAT BOTH AIR CONDITIONING PACKS HAD FAULTS. ACFT DSNDED TO SAFE ALT WHERE THE AIR CONDITIONING PACKS WERE RECYCLED OFF TO ON WHICH RESTORED NORMAL OP. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO DEST.

Narrative: AT FL290 (30 MI WSW GCK) CREW GOT ECAM WARNING 'CABPR SAFETY VALVE OPEN.' LOWER ECAS CONFIRMED SAFETY VALVE FULL OPEN, CAB INTXN AT 9.8, CAB VERT SPD 200-250 FPM UP. CREW DONNED OXYGEN MASKS AS PRECAUTION, ASKED FOR LOWER ALT (10000 FT). 1 MIN LATER CREW RECEIVED SECOND ECAM WARNING 'AIR PACK #1 AND #2 FAULT.' LOWER ECAM CONFIRMED BOTH PACK VALVES FULL CLOSED. CAB VERT SPD AT 450 FPM UP. INCREASED RATE OF DSCNT TO 10000 FT, CYCLED BOTH PACKS OFF/ON TWICE. AT +/-15000 FT, REGAINED CTL OF PACKS, REQUESTED DIVERSION TO ICT. LEVELED AT 10000 FT AND CONFERRED WITH MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH IN PHX. AT 10000 FT, PACKS NORMAL, SAFETY VALVE NORMAL (CLOSED), ALL SYS NORMAL. IT WAS MUTUALLY AGREED AS LONG AS SYS REMAINED NORMAL, CONTINUE TO JFK. CLBED TO FL370 AND CONTINUED TO JFK WITH NO EVENTS. MADE LOGBOOK 'INFO ONLY' AND IN JFK, BRIEFED OUTBOUND CREW. AT NO TIME WAS AN EMER DECLARED, BUT CREW NOTIFIED ATC OF A PRESSURE CTL PROB. AT NO TIME DID CABIN ALT EXCEED 9000 FT.

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.