Narrative:

All I know about the cause is the information given to me by the captain, that we lost power to an air-conditioning unit which caused unstable pressurization in the cabin. Because of the discomfort in my ears and popping sounds coming from the interior side walls, I suspected pressurization problems. When I heard a sudden whooshing sound, that confirmed my suspicions. I was surprised to see the masks because I felt no dizziness or other symptoms, other than ear trouble. When masks dropped, we advised passenger to put them on, figuring they were falling from ceiling for a reason. No suggestions as to what could have prevented it. I've been told that our air carrier's aircraft are given regular, periodic checks. Maybe more frequent checks should be implemented for air packs or whatever part was faulty.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD-80S FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT PRESSURIZATION WAS LOST DURING A FLT TO BOS AND THAT THE MASKS DROPPED.

Narrative: ALL I KNOW ABOUT THE CAUSE IS THE INFO GIVEN TO ME BY THE CAPT, THAT WE LOST PWR TO AN AIR-CONDITIONING UNIT WHICH CAUSED UNSTABLE PRESSURIZATION IN THE CABIN. BECAUSE OF THE DISCOMFORT IN MY EARS AND POPPING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE INTERIOR SIDE WALLS, I SUSPECTED PRESSURIZATION PROBS. WHEN I HEARD A SUDDEN WHOOSHING SOUND, THAT CONFIRMED MY SUSPICIONS. I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THE MASKS BECAUSE I FELT NO DIZZINESS OR OTHER SYMPTOMS, OTHER THAN EAR TROUBLE. WHEN MASKS DROPPED, WE ADVISED PAX TO PUT THEM ON, FIGURING THEY WERE FALLING FROM CEILING FOR A REASON. NO SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED IT. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT OUR ACR'S ACFT ARE GIVEN REGULAR, PERIODIC CHKS. MAYBE MORE FREQUENT CHKS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED FOR AIR PACKS OR WHATEVER PART WAS FAULTY.

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.