Cabin attendant report, S80, lax-bna. Lost electrical lights, pressurization problem, and on descent...

Attributes
ACN	469730
Time
Date	200004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zab.artcc
State Reference	NM
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 5
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 8.5 flight attendant time total : 8.5 flight attendant time type : 65
ASRS Report	469730
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event other other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : cab #1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We left the gate on time and returned with a mechanical. We were delayed at the gate for 1 hour plus. We left around XB00. Around XC00 we lost total power in lights. We seemed to have pressurization problems. We landed in less than 30 mins. The plane on descent had a problem keeping level. The aircraft was met with many ambulances, and fire trucks. Then, the company hurried us off the plane to the next aircraft to continue working. No one really let us know the severity of the situation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that they started having pressurization problems about 30 mins before the lights went out. The lights were out everywhere on the plane, including the cockpit, which was pitch black. The emergency lights never came on. They also lost their compass and, she believes, most of their instruments. The plane was swinging wildly and she believes that the captain didn't have the time to tell the passenger or cabin attendants the nature of the problem. They diverted to albuquerque, and a fireman, dressed in full gear, opened the door. She feels the captain should have told them, at least, about the number of emergency vehicles meeting the plane safely. The flight attendants did try to ask the captain about preparing the cabin for an emergency evacuate/evacuation, but he didn't answer. The passenger were more irate about diverting, than scared, about the severe problems the plane was having.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, S80, LAX-BNA. LOST ELECTRICAL LIGHTS, PRESSURIZATION PROB, AND ON DSCNT THEY HAD TROUBLE STAYING LEVEL. DIVERT ABQ. EMER, EQUIP MET FLT.

Narrative: WE LEFT THE GATE ON TIME AND RETURNED WITH A MECHANICAL. WE WERE DELAYED AT THE GATE FOR 1 HR PLUS. WE LEFT AROUND XB00. AROUND XC00 WE LOST TOTAL PWR IN LIGHTS. WE SEEMED TO HAVE PRESSURIZATION PROBS. WE LANDED IN LESS THAN 30 MINS. THE PLANE ON DSCNT HAD A PROB KEEPING LEVEL. THE ACFT WAS MET WITH MANY AMBULANCES, AND FIRE TRUCKS. THEN, THE COMPANY HURRIED US OFF THE PLANE TO THE NEXT ACFT TO CONTINUE WORKING. NO ONE REALLY LET US KNOW THE SEVERITY OF THE SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THEY STARTED HAVING PRESSURIZATION PROBS ABOUT 30 MINS BEFORE THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE LIGHTS WERE OUT EVERYWHERE ON THE PLANE, INCLUDING THE COCKPIT, WHICH WAS PITCH BLACK. THE EMER LIGHTS NEVER CAME ON. THEY ALSO LOST THEIR COMPASS AND, SHE BELIEVES, MOST OF THEIR INSTS. THE PLANE WAS SWINGING WILDLY AND SHE BELIEVES THAT THE CAPT DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME TO TELL THE PAX OR CABIN ATTENDANTS THE NATURE OF THE PROB. THEY DIVERTED TO ALBUQUERQUE, AND A FIREMAN, DRESSED IN FULL GEAR, OPENED THE DOOR. SHE FEELS THE CAPT SHOULD HAVE TOLD THEM, AT LEAST, ABOUT THE NUMBER OF EMER VEHICLES MEETING THE PLANE SAFELY. THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID TRY TO ASK THE CAPT ABOUT PREPARING THE CABIN FOR AN EMER EVAC, BUT HE DIDN'T ANSWER. THE PAX WERE MORE IRATE ABOUT DIVERTING, THAN SCARED, ABOUT THE SEVERE PROBS THE PLANE WAS HAVING.

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.

Cabin attendant report, S80, lax-bna. Lost electrical lights, pressurization problem, and on descent they had trouble staying level. Divert abq. Emergency, equipment met flight.