A falcon 20 in cruise at FL330 began depressurizing when captain's luggage inadvertently struck carg...

Attributes
ACN	603834
Time
Date	200312
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Falcon 20FJF/20C/20D/20E/20F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 136 flight time total : 4521 flight time type : 1185
ASRS Report	603834
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
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	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : overrode automation
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

At FL330, I left the cockpit to retrieve some food from my luggage in the cargo compartment. I believe my luggage hit a door switch inadvertently. This led to aircraft system believing that the door was trying to be opened. The aircraft cabin began depressurizing at a rate of 1500-2000 FPM. Both pilots donned oxygen masks. I requested a lower altitude from ATC. I did not declare an emergency. ATC granted my request for a lower altitude. Passing through 15000 ft, the airplane cabin began to re-pressurize. We requested FL290 and climbed to FL290. Later, ATC assigned us FL250 with pilot discretion to FL240. We were level at FL250 for 5 mins when the cabin began to depressurize again. We requested a descent to 15000 ft where the cabin again pressurized. We finished the flight without incident. The flight was an far 135 flight from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2. After unloading the aircraft we filed a part 91 IFR flight plan from ZZZ2 to our aircraft base in ZZZ3. That flight was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FALCON 20 IN CRUISE AT FL330 BEGAN DEPRESSURIZING WHEN CAPT'S LUGGAGE INADVERTENTLY STRUCK CARGO DOOR SWITCH.

Narrative: AT FL330, I LEFT THE COCKPIT TO RETRIEVE SOME FOOD FROM MY LUGGAGE IN THE CARGO COMPARTMENT. I BELIEVE MY LUGGAGE HIT A DOOR SWITCH INADVERTENTLY. THIS LED TO ACFT SYS BELIEVING THAT THE DOOR WAS TRYING TO BE OPENED. THE ACFT CABIN BEGAN DEPRESSURIZING AT A RATE OF 1500-2000 FPM. BOTH PLTS DONNED OXYGEN MASKS. I REQUESTED A LOWER ALT FROM ATC. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. ATC GRANTED MY REQUEST FOR A LOWER ALT. PASSING THROUGH 15000 FT, THE AIRPLANE CABIN BEGAN TO RE-PRESSURIZE. WE REQUESTED FL290 AND CLBED TO FL290. LATER, ATC ASSIGNED US FL250 WITH PLT DISCRETION TO FL240. WE WERE LEVEL AT FL250 FOR 5 MINS WHEN THE CABIN BEGAN TO DEPRESSURIZE AGAIN. WE REQUESTED A DSCNT TO 15000 FT WHERE THE CABIN AGAIN PRESSURIZED. WE FINISHED THE FLT WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE FLT WAS AN FAR 135 FLT FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2. AFTER UNLOADING THE ACFT WE FILED A PART 91 IFR FLT PLAN FROM ZZZ2 TO OUR ACFT BASE IN ZZZ3. THAT FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.

A falcon 20 in cruise at FL330 began depressurizing when captain's luggage inadvertently struck cargo door switch.