Return land by flight crew of an air carrier twin jet which had a loss of their cabin pressurization controllers which created an overpressure situation with a high rate of climb that matched the aircraft climb, when 20 mi northeast of den, co.

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Attributes
ACN	515226
Time
Date	200106
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : plain2.mck
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	515226
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin vsi other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : overrode automation other
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance Aircraft Airspace Structure Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Takeoff on runway 8 at denver. Climbing up to 16000 ft MSL, captain noticed cabin psi pegged up. Both primary and standby pressurization controllers had failed. The aircraft was pressurized to 8.5 psi, outflow valve fully closed, and now cabin altitude was matching aircraft climb rate. Decided to return to denver. Manually opened outflow valve to depressurize below 10000 ft MSL. Landed normally. After deplaning, one flight attendant complained of disorientation. She was taken to hospital. She was tested thoroughly for effects of rapid altitude change. No signs of permanent damage found. 2 other flight attendants complained of 'tingling' sensation in fingertips. They declined going to hospital. No passenger complained of symptoms. No other crew members complained or symptoms. I estimate the rate of cabin altitude climb that we manually selected to have been between 3000-4000 FPM. This estimation based on time it took to depressurize. The cabin vsi gauge only goes to +/-1500 FPM. I believe we should have taken more time to depressurize the aircraft. If I were in the same situation tomorrow, I would limit to 1000-1500 FPM climb rate, considering possible physiological effects.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RETURN LAND BY FLC OF AN ACR TWIN JET WHICH HAD A LOSS OF THEIR CABIN PRESSURIZATION CONTROLLERS WHICH CREATED AN OVERPRESSURE SIT WITH A HIGH RATE OF CLB THAT MATCHED THE ACFT CLB, WHEN 20 MI NE OF DEN, CO.

Narrative: TKOF ON RWY 8 AT DENVER. CLBING UP TO 16000 FT MSL, CAPT NOTICED CABIN PSI PEGGED UP. BOTH PRIMARY AND STANDBY PRESSURIZATION CONTROLLERS HAD FAILED. THE ACFT WAS PRESSURIZED TO 8.5 PSI, OUTFLOW VALVE FULLY CLOSED, AND NOW CABIN ALT WAS MATCHING ACFT CLB RATE. DECIDED TO RETURN TO DENVER. MANUALLY OPENED OUTFLOW VALVE TO DEPRESSURIZE BELOW 10000 FT MSL. LANDED NORMALLY. AFTER DEPLANING, ONE FLT ATTENDANT COMPLAINED OF DISORIENTATION. SHE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL. SHE WAS TESTED THOROUGHLY FOR EFFECTS OF RAPID ALT CHANGE. NO SIGNS OF PERMANENT DAMAGE FOUND. 2 OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS COMPLAINED OF 'TINGLING' SENSATION IN FINGERTIPS. THEY DECLINED GOING TO HOSPITAL. NO PAX COMPLAINED OF SYMPTOMS. NO OTHER CREW MEMBERS COMPLAINED OR SYMPTOMS. I ESTIMATE THE RATE OF CABIN ALT CLB THAT WE MANUALLY SELECTED TO HAVE BEEN BTWN 3000-4000 FPM. THIS ESTIMATION BASED ON TIME IT TOOK TO DEPRESSURIZE. THE CABIN VSI GAUGE ONLY GOES TO +/-1500 FPM. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE TIME TO DEPRESSURIZE THE ACFT. IF I WERE IN THE SAME SIT TOMORROW, I WOULD LIMIT TO 1000-1500 FPM CLB RATE, CONSIDERING POSSIBLE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS.

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.