<< >> NASA ASRS Report 582437, May 2003

An MD80 in cruise at FL290 made an emergency descent due to loss of cabin pressure. Caused by pressurization system automatic and standby failure.

Attributes
ACN	582437
Time
Date	200305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mci.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	582437
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin alt indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated aircraft : automation overrode flight crew controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Level at FL290 approximately 30 mi southwest of mci cabin began to climb at 1500 FPM. Attempted to switch automatic controllers without success. Initiated emergency descent to 15000 ft. Passing through 21000 ft the cabin altitude was seen to be descending. After leveling off at 15000 ft we could confirm that we could control the cabin in manual mode. We opted to climb to 23000 ft so we could confer with company. This we did with the cabin still descending. At 23000 ft we returned the cabin control to automatic and it worked normally. After conferring with dispatch we opted to continue to stl at 23000 ft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the cause of the automatic pressurization and the standby system simultaneous failure is still being investigated. The reporter said no information has been released by maintenance. The reporter stated it may be a fleet problem but can give no details.

Related reports:

• An A330 flight crew heard a muffled sound; felt a pressure c...
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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 IN CRUISE AT FL290 MADE AN EMER DSCNT DUE TO LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE. CAUSED BY PRESSURIZATION SYS AUTO AND STANDBY FAILURE.

Narrative: LEVEL AT FL290 APPROX 30 MI SW OF MCI CABIN BEGAN TO CLB AT 1500 FPM. ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH AUTO CTLRS WITHOUT SUCCESS. INITIATED EMER DSCNT TO 15000 FT. PASSING THROUGH 21000 FT THE CABIN ALT WAS SEEN TO BE DSNDING. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 15000 FT WE COULD CONFIRM THAT WE COULD CTL THE CABIN IN MANUAL MODE. WE OPTED TO CLB TO 23000 FT SO WE COULD CONFER WITH COMPANY. THIS WE DID WITH THE CABIN STILL DSNDING. AT 23000 FT WE RETURNED THE CABIN CTL TO AUTO AND IT WORKED NORMALLY. AFTER CONFERRING WITH DISPATCH WE OPTED TO CONTINUE TO STL AT 23000 FT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE CAUSE OF THE AUTO PRESSURIZATION AND THE STANDBY SYS SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE IS STILL BEING INVESTIGATED. THE RPTR SAID NO INFO HAS BEEN RELEASED BY MAINT. THE RPTR STATED IT MAY BE A FLEET PROB BUT CAN GIVE NO DETAILS.

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.