Narrative:

I served as captain and pilot in command of flight on aug/tue/03. I was the PNF. Operations were normal until intercept to 12000 ft. Passing approximately FL280, pilots noted right hydraulic low press message on annunciator panel accompanied by zero right hydraulic press on cockpit indicator. Accomplished hydraulic press low checklist resulting in no restoration of pressure. Accomplished descent checklist still resulting in no restoration of pressure. We informed elp approach of our problem, asking for vectors for approximately 20 mins. I reviewed the right hydraulic system failure checklist with first officer. Declared emergency. Accomplished approach checklist. Passing 9000 ft MSL, I put the flaps to 15 degrees, and was preparing to put the gear down in accordance with the right hydraulic failure checklist. Now we noticed a left hydraulic pressure low message on annunciator panel accompanied by zero left hydraulic pressure on the cockpit indicator. So, now we have zero on both hydraulic pressure indicators. Hydraulic quantities remained normal throughout. We re-accomplished hydraulic pressure low checklist again -- this time, cycling the auxiliary and transfer pump switches. Both hydraulic pressures returned to normal. Technically, we were without any hydraulic pressure for about 1 min, as I recall. Landing gear and landing flaps lowered normally. Landing uneventful. First officer applied wheel brakes at approximately 110 KTS and noted the brakes felt mushy and spongy, but useable. I assumed aircraft control at approximately 80 KTS, and I wholly agree with his assessment. Brake 'feel' improved the slower we got and returned to normal by the time that we cleared the end of the runway. Taxied slowly to parking. Maintenance removed this ship from service the next day, due to its hydraulic 'history.' summary, right hydraulic failure not recovered with checklist. Momentary dual hydraulic failure recovered with checklist. Uneventful outcome.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 FLT CREW EXPERIENCES A LOSS OF BOTH HYD SYS DURING DSCNT FOR AN EMER LNDG AT ELP, TX.

Narrative: I SERVED AS CAPT AND PLT IN COMMAND OF FLT ON AUG/TUE/03. I WAS THE PNF. OPS WERE NORMAL UNTIL INTERCEPT TO 12000 FT. PASSING APPROX FL280, PLTS NOTED R HYD LOW PRESS MESSAGE ON ANNUNCIATOR PANEL ACCOMPANIED BY ZERO R HYD PRESS ON COCKPIT INDICATOR. ACCOMPLISHED HYD PRESS LOW CHKLIST RESULTING IN NO RESTORATION OF PRESSURE. ACCOMPLISHED DSCNT CHKLIST STILL RESULTING IN NO RESTORATION OF PRESSURE. WE INFORMED ELP APCH OF OUR PROB, ASKING FOR VECTORS FOR APPROX 20 MINS. I REVIEWED THE R HYD SYS FAILURE CHKLIST WITH FO. DECLARED EMER. ACCOMPLISHED APCH CHKLIST. PASSING 9000 FT MSL, I PUT THE FLAPS TO 15 DEGS, AND WAS PREPARING TO PUT THE GEAR DOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE R HYD FAILURE CHKLIST. NOW WE NOTICED A L HYD PRESSURE LOW MESSAGE ON ANNUNCIATOR PANEL ACCOMPANIED BY ZERO L HYD PRESSURE ON THE COCKPIT INDICATOR. SO, NOW WE HAVE ZERO ON BOTH HYD PRESSURE INDICATORS. HYD QUANTITIES REMAINED NORMAL THROUGHOUT. WE RE-ACCOMPLISHED HYD PRESSURE LOW CHKLIST AGAIN -- THIS TIME, CYCLING THE AUX AND TRANSFER PUMP SWITCHES. BOTH HYD PRESSURES RETURNED TO NORMAL. TECHNICALLY, WE WERE WITHOUT ANY HYD PRESSURE FOR ABOUT 1 MIN, AS I RECALL. LNDG GEAR AND LNDG FLAPS LOWERED NORMALLY. LNDG UNEVENTFUL. FO APPLIED WHEEL BRAKES AT APPROX 110 KTS AND NOTED THE BRAKES FELT MUSHY AND SPONGY, BUT USEABLE. I ASSUMED ACFT CTL AT APPROX 80 KTS, AND I WHOLLY AGREE WITH HIS ASSESSMENT. BRAKE 'FEEL' IMPROVED THE SLOWER WE GOT AND RETURNED TO NORMAL BY THE TIME THAT WE CLRED THE END OF THE RWY. TAXIED SLOWLY TO PARKING. MAINT REMOVED THIS SHIP FROM SVC THE NEXT DAY, DUE TO ITS HYD 'HISTORY.' SUMMARY, R HYD FAILURE NOT RECOVERED WITH CHKLIST. MOMENTARY DUAL HYD FAILURE RECOVERED WITH CHKLIST. UNEVENTFUL OUTCOME.

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.