Captain of a B727-200 had to make rapid descent to 10000 ft after the cabin pressurization climbed to 16000 ft due to the flight engineer mistakenly shutting off the #1 and #3 engine bleed air valves.

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Attributes
ACN	456106
Time
Date	199911
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eau.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 25000 msl single value : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : vacating altitude descent : approach
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 : 10000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	456106
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin altitude indicator other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Rapidly climbing cabin pressure caused by a new engineer mistakenly shutting off #1 and #3 bleed valves. I discovered the problem due to abnormal ear pressure. Dropped oxygen masks because we failed to find problem before cabin rose to 14000 ft. We were at 16000 ft. My mistake was not calling for red bordered checklist, rapid depressurization. I'm not sure why I didn't correlate our problem with the simulator practiced 'rapid depressurization.' my one thought is that my large involvement in my other occupation, and the stress I am under now may have relegated flying to the outer areas of my mind, thus slowing my response time. Start to finish at 10000 ft was approximately 3 mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B727-200 HAD TO MAKE RAPID DSCNT TO 10000 FT AFTER THE CABIN PRESSURIZATION CLBED TO 16000 FT DUE TO THE FE MISTAKENLY SHUTTING OFF THE #1 AND #3 ENG BLEED AIR VALVES.

Narrative: RAPIDLY CLBING CABIN PRESSURE CAUSED BY A NEW ENGINEER MISTAKENLY SHUTTING OFF #1 AND #3 BLEED VALVES. I DISCOVERED THE PROB DUE TO ABNORMAL EAR PRESSURE. DROPPED OXYGEN MASKS BECAUSE WE FAILED TO FIND PROB BEFORE CABIN ROSE TO 14000 FT. WE WERE AT 16000 FT. MY MISTAKE WAS NOT CALLING FOR RED BORDERED CHKLIST, RAPID DEPRESSURIZATION. I'M NOT SURE WHY I DIDN'T CORRELATE OUR PROB WITH THE SIMULATOR PRACTICED 'RAPID DEPRESSURIZATION.' MY ONE THOUGHT IS THAT MY LARGE INVOLVEMENT IN MY OTHER OCCUPATION, AND THE STRESS I AM UNDER NOW MAY HAVE RELEGATED FLYING TO THE OUTER AREAS OF MY MIND, THUS SLOWING MY RESPONSE TIME. START TO FINISH AT 10000 FT WAS APPROX 3 MINS.

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.