A DC9-30 in descent at FL200 declared an emergency and executed an emergency descent due to loss of ...

Attributes
ACN	493412
Time
Date	200012
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	493412
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin altitude indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Cabin Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At FL200 lost pressurization. Cabin climbed to 11500 ft. Executed emergency descent at 11000 ft. Flight attendant reported smoke and fire in tail compartment. Declared an emergency, landed immediately, shut down aircraft, deployed both front slides but did not evacuate/evacuation aircraft because there was no fire or smoke on the ground verified by firemen and jump seat rider. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a DC9-30 and the cause of the pressurization loss was the air cycle machine output duct was found disconnected dumping cool, moist air into the tail compartment. The reporter said the flight attendant report of smoke and fire was only the cool, moist air fogging up the tail compartment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 IN DSCNT AT FL200 DECLARED AN EMER AND EXECUTED AN EMER DSCNT DUE TO LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE.

Narrative: AT FL200 LOST PRESSURIZATION. CABIN CLBED TO 11500 FT. EXECUTED EMER DSCNT AT 11000 FT. FLT ATTENDANT RPTED SMOKE AND FIRE IN TAIL COMPARTMENT. DECLARED AN EMER, LANDED IMMEDIATELY, SHUT DOWN ACFT, DEPLOYED BOTH FRONT SLIDES BUT DID NOT EVAC ACFT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO FIRE OR SMOKE ON THE GND VERIFIED BY FIREMEN AND JUMP SEAT RIDER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A DC9-30 AND THE CAUSE OF THE PRESSURIZATION LOSS WAS THE AIR CYCLE MACHINE OUTPUT DUCT WAS FOUND DISCONNECTED DUMPING COOL, MOIST AIR INTO THE TAIL COMPARTMENT. THE RPTR SAID THE FLT ATTENDANT RPT OF SMOKE AND FIRE WAS ONLY THE COOL, MOIST AIR FOGGING UP THE TAIL COMPARTMENT.

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.

A DC9-30 in descent at FL200 declared an emergency and executed an emergency descent due to loss of cabin pressure.