Narrative:

On departure (off runway 25R phx upwind) flight control and hydraulic amber lights illuminated, first officer flying manually as captain detected system 'a' hydraulics completely lost. Captain declared emergency as first officer leveled at 4000 ft MSL and began vectors downwind for return to phx runway 26 (longest runway). Captain notified company and flight attendants, captain ran all emergency checklists (first of course!) as first officer continued to fly. Gear was lowered manually and flaps set 15 degrees per checklist, with alternate flap switch. Normal pattern and landing flown without further incident. As accumulator brakes only available (no anti-skid) left brakes were hot according to fire crew waiting as we stopped on runway. After firemen cooled brakes, tow pins were installed and plane towed to gate (no nosewheel steering). Captain notified flight attendants and company that the situation was under control, no evacuate/evacuation. Everything went very smoothly. As PF I need to review my hydraulic system as it seemed autoplt and autothrottle not working properly and during the event I couldn't remember if that was normal, or expected. I believe the 'a' autoplt run by 'a' system hydraulic, but 'B' autoplt didn't work and autothrottle moving but not holding speed at all. Otherwise a good show. (Captain and I agreed very early I would fly and he would do PNF duties.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THEIR SYS 'A' HYDS, THEN RETURNED FOR AN EMER LNDG.

Narrative: ON DEP (OFF RWY 25R PHX UPWIND) FLT CTL AND HYD AMBER LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, FO FLYING MANUALLY AS CAPT DETECTED SYS 'A' HYDS COMPLETELY LOST. CAPT DECLARED EMER AS FO LEVELED AT 4000 FT MSL AND BEGAN VECTORS DOWNWIND FOR RETURN TO PHX RWY 26 (LONGEST RWY). CAPT NOTIFIED COMPANY AND FLT ATTENDANTS, CAPT RAN ALL EMER CHKLISTS (FIRST OF COURSE!) AS FO CONTINUED TO FLY. GEAR WAS LOWERED MANUALLY AND FLAPS SET 15 DEGS PER CHKLIST, WITH ALTERNATE FLAP SWITCH. NORMAL PATTERN AND LNDG FLOWN WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AS ACCUMULATOR BRAKES ONLY AVAILABLE (NO ANTI-SKID) L BRAKES WERE HOT ACCORDING TO FIRE CREW WAITING AS WE STOPPED ON RWY. AFTER FIREMEN COOLED BRAKES, TOW PINS WERE INSTALLED AND PLANE TOWED TO GATE (NO NOSEWHEEL STEERING). CAPT NOTIFIED FLT ATTENDANTS AND COMPANY THAT THE SIT WAS UNDER CTL, NO EVAC. EVERYTHING WENT VERY SMOOTHLY. AS PF I NEED TO REVIEW MY HYD SYS AS IT SEEMED AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND DURING THE EVENT I COULDN'T REMEMBER IF THAT WAS NORMAL, OR EXPECTED. I BELIEVE THE 'A' AUTOPLT RUN BY 'A' SYS HYD, BUT 'B' AUTOPLT DIDN'T WORK AND AUTOTHROTTLE MOVING BUT NOT HOLDING SPD AT ALL. OTHERWISE A GOOD SHOW. (CAPT AND I AGREED VERY EARLY I WOULD FLY AND HE WOULD DO PNF DUTIES.)

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.