B737-200 crew had 'a' system hydraulic failure in ZNY class a airspace.

Attributes
ACN	517511
Time
Date	200107
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zbw.artcc
State Reference	NH
Altitude	msl single value : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 15700 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	517511
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : hydraulic quantity and pressure other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Approximately 15 mins into flight, I observed hydraulic system quantity at 1 gallon and dropping. We immediately declared an emergency and began a return to bwi. Shortly after hydraulic quantity went to zero, 'a' system pressure began to drop. We then complied with the 'a' system loss procedures in our QRH. All events throughout this occurrence went perfectly. We landed on runway 33L at bwi uneventfully (other than the emergency equipment standing by and the need to be towed to the gate). All of the people we dealt with during this event -- ATC, airport rescue and airport authority/authorized personnel, company representatives, as well as my crew -- did their jobs exactly as expected and the whole thing was almost a non event as a result.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 CREW HAD 'A' SYS HYD FAILURE IN ZNY CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative: APPROX 15 MINS INTO FLT, I OBSERVED HYD SYS QUANTITY AT 1 GALLON AND DROPPING. WE IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER AND BEGAN A RETURN TO BWI. SHORTLY AFTER HYD QUANTITY WENT TO ZERO, 'A' SYS PRESSURE BEGAN TO DROP. WE THEN COMPLIED WITH THE 'A' SYS LOSS PROCS IN OUR QRH. ALL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THIS OCCURRENCE WENT PERFECTLY. WE LANDED ON RWY 33L AT BWI UNEVENTFULLY (OTHER THAN THE EMER EQUIP STANDING BY AND THE NEED TO BE TOWED TO THE GATE). ALL OF THE PEOPLE WE DEALT WITH DURING THIS EVENT -- ATC, ARPT RESCUE AND ARPT AUTH PERSONNEL, COMPANY REPRESENTATIVES, AS WELL AS MY CREW -- DID THEIR JOBS EXACTLY AS EXPECTED AND THE WHOLE THING WAS ALMOST A NON EVENT AS A RESULT.

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.