A B727 loses its 'a' system hydraulic fluid, requiring a return land at stl, mo.

Attributes
ACN	441155
Time
Date	199906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : t75.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure sid : ns
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 0 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	441155
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	441389
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : tail skid light other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On departure climb out we lost all quantity and pressure from hydraulic system 'a.' the leak came from a small hole in the hydraulic line to the tailskid, as confirmed by the tailskid light not going out after gear retraction. The crew completed the appropriate checklists and we manually lowered the landing gear with the hand crank. We landed uneventfully back at stl, though due to poor company and airfield management preparation, we closed down the runway for 1 hour attempting to get towed back to the gate. This due to the fact we had no nosewheel steering. The crew performed flawlessly in handling this potentially challenging and serious emergency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 LOSES ITS 'A' SYS HYD FLUID, REQUIRING A RETURN LAND AT STL, MO.

Narrative: ON DEP CLBOUT WE LOST ALL QUANTITY AND PRESSURE FROM HYD SYS 'A.' THE LEAK CAME FROM A SMALL HOLE IN THE HYD LINE TO THE TAILSKID, AS CONFIRMED BY THE TAILSKID LIGHT NOT GOING OUT AFTER GEAR RETRACTION. THE CREW COMPLETED THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS AND WE MANUALLY LOWERED THE LNDG GEAR WITH THE HAND CRANK. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY BACK AT STL, THOUGH DUE TO POOR COMPANY AND AIRFIELD MGMNT PREPARATION, WE CLOSED DOWN THE RWY FOR 1 HR ATTEMPTING TO GET TOWED BACK TO THE GATE. THIS DUE TO THE FACT WE HAD NO NOSEWHEEL STEERING. THE CREW PERFORMED FLAWLESSLY IN HANDLING THIS POTENTIALLY CHALLENGING AND SERIOUS EMER.

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.