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An MD80 in cruise at FL370 declared an emergency and diverted due to rise in cabin altitude. Caused by a failed pack duct clamp.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 601311 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200312 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : bgd.vortac |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 601311 |
| 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 : r pneumatic press ind other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
At FL370 pressurization flow light illuminated followed by rise in cabin altitude and illumination of cabin altitude light. Emergency declared and descent initiated. Cabin altitude approximately 10000 ft. Flight continued to ZZZ at FL140. Uneventful landing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the cause of the loss of pressurization was a failed duct clamp on the right air conditioning pack. The reporter said the pressurization was ok at lower altitude in climb power, but on reaching cruise, the right pack was losing pneumatic air at too high a rate to maintain cabin pressure.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD80 IN CRUISE AT FL370 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO RISE IN CABIN ALT. CAUSED BY A FAILED PACK DUCT CLAMP.
Narrative: AT FL370 PRESSURIZATION FLOW LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOLLOWED BY RISE IN CABIN ALT AND ILLUMINATION OF CABIN ALT LIGHT. EMER DECLARED AND DSCNT INITIATED. CABIN ALT APPROX 10000 FT. FLT CONTINUED TO ZZZ AT FL140. UNEVENTFUL LNDG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION WAS A FAILED DUCT CLAMP ON THE R AIR CONDITIONING PACK. THE RPTR SAID THE PRESSURIZATION WAS OK AT LOWER ALT IN CLIMB POWER, BUT ON REACHING CRUISE, THE R PACK WAS LOSING PNEUMATIC AIR AT TOO HIGH A RATE TO MAINTAIN CABIN PRESSURE.
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.