CE650 landing eko experiences radio pressurization problem.

Attributes
ACN	573588
Time
Date	200301
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tower : eko.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation III, VI, VII
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	573588
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Navigational Facility
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : eko.tower

Narrative:

We were cleared for descent by ZOA from FL280 to 14000 ft. About 30 mi from bqu VOR, center advised us we were cleared for the VOR-a approach, radar service terminated, contact elko tower. We called elko tower and they advised us to call procedure turn inbound. We advised them we probably weren't going to do the procedure turn because it was going from MVFR to VFR at that time. Almost immediately after talking to elko tower, we started losing cabin pressure. I called elko to advise them we were starting a VFR descent and to cancel IFR. We were unable to re-establish contact with the tower. I made a slight turn off the airway and intercepted the inbound course to the VOR-a approach and crossed the VOR at 7500 ft. At this time we re-established contact with the tower. We were cleared to land. After landing, I asked the tower if he had heard us trying to call southeast of the VOR. He said no. He also stated he had been having reception problems and thought he had an antenna problem on the tower. In the recent pass we had been experiencing pressurization problems in this aircraft. Having just come out of heavy maintenance, which included new outflow valves, I assumed it to be repaired. Maybe paying more attention to the pressurization panel would have given me a little more notice to any problems, instead of assuming it was fixed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CE650 LNDG EKO EXPERIENCES RADIO PRESSURIZATION PROB.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR DSCNT BY ZOA FROM FL280 TO 14000 FT. ABOUT 30 MI FROM BQU VOR, CTR ADVISED US WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VOR-A APCH, RADAR SVC TERMINATED, CONTACT ELKO TWR. WE CALLED ELKO TWR AND THEY ADVISED US TO CALL PROC TURN INBOUND. WE ADVISED THEM WE PROBABLY WEREN'T GOING TO DO THE PROC TURN BECAUSE IT WAS GOING FROM MVFR TO VFR AT THAT TIME. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TALKING TO ELKO TWR, WE STARTED LOSING CABIN PRESSURE. I CALLED ELKO TO ADVISE THEM WE WERE STARTING A VFR DSCNT AND TO CANCEL IFR. WE WERE UNABLE TO RE-ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE TWR. I MADE A SLIGHT TURN OFF THE AIRWAY AND INTERCEPTED THE INBOUND COURSE TO THE VOR-A APCH AND CROSSED THE VOR AT 7500 FT. AT THIS TIME WE RE-ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH THE TWR. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. AFTER LNDG, I ASKED THE TWR IF HE HAD HEARD US TRYING TO CALL SE OF THE VOR. HE SAID NO. HE ALSO STATED HE HAD BEEN HAVING RECEPTION PROBS AND THOUGHT HE HAD AN ANTENNA PROB ON THE TWR. IN THE RECENT PASS WE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING PRESSURIZATION PROBS IN THIS ACFT. HAVING JUST COME OUT OF HVY MAINT, WHICH INCLUDED NEW OUTFLOW VALVES, I ASSUMED IT TO BE REPAIRED. MAYBE PAYING MORE ATTN TO THE PRESSURIZATION PANEL WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME A LITTLE MORE NOTICE TO ANY PROBS, INSTEAD OF ASSUMING IT WAS FIXED.

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.