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With an avionics vent system fault MEL'ed and after receiving an ECAM avionics smoke alarm after takeoff, an A320 flight crew delays their return land until suffering a loss of cabin pressure on SID departure from iad.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 633304 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200410 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : iad.airport |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 17000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pct.tracon tower : blv.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure sid : capital |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 633304 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 633309 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam smoke alert other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition other |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : inspection |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Prior to departing the gate, we had several ecams regarding the avionics vent system. Also the #2 IRU had to be swapped with the #3. When the mechanic opened the avionics compartment we got an avionics smoke ECAM. Finally got that cleared and then had a vent system fault. We went with that deferral and the inlet valve wired closed and the extract fan in override to be reset to normal in-flight. Once airborne, we had a return of the avionics smoke ECAM. The cabin was climbing through about 8000 ft and the aircraft would not pressurize. Moving the extract switch to normal had no effect on the problem of the extract valve -- it would not close. As the cabin passed through about 10000 ft, I declared an emergency and we nosed over the aircraft at about 17000 ft. The cabin got up to about 11500 ft. We descended to 10000 ft and returned to iad. We landed about 700 pounds overweight with a descent of less than 200 FPM. Human factors: did not believe we actually had any smoke (and did not perceive any). The first officer had a similar experience on a recent flight that was able to continue to destination so was a little slow to believe we actually had a problem. Supplemental information from acn 633309: maintenance worked for approximately 45 mins and ended up releasing the aircraft with a deferred extract valve in override. Emergency declared.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WITH AN AVIONICS VENT SYS FAULT MEL'ED AND AFTER RECEIVING AN ECAM AVIONICS SMOKE ALARM AFTER TKOF, AN A320 FLT CREW DELAYS THEIR RETURN LAND UNTIL SUFFERING A LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE ON SID DEP FROM IAD.
Narrative: PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE GATE, WE HAD SEVERAL ECAMS REGARDING THE AVIONICS VENT SYS. ALSO THE #2 IRU HAD TO BE SWAPPED WITH THE #3. WHEN THE MECH OPENED THE AVIONICS COMPARTMENT WE GOT AN AVIONICS SMOKE ECAM. FINALLY GOT THAT CLRED AND THEN HAD A VENT SYS FAULT. WE WENT WITH THAT DEFERRAL AND THE INLET VALVE WIRED CLOSED AND THE EXTRACT FAN IN OVERRIDE TO BE RESET TO NORMAL INFLT. ONCE AIRBORNE, WE HAD A RETURN OF THE AVIONICS SMOKE ECAM. THE CABIN WAS CLBING THROUGH ABOUT 8000 FT AND THE ACFT WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE. MOVING THE EXTRACT SWITCH TO NORMAL HAD NO EFFECT ON THE PROB OF THE EXTRACT VALVE -- IT WOULD NOT CLOSE. AS THE CABIN PASSED THROUGH ABOUT 10000 FT, I DECLARED AN EMER AND WE NOSED OVER THE ACFT AT ABOUT 17000 FT. THE CABIN GOT UP TO ABOUT 11500 FT. WE DSNDED TO 10000 FT AND RETURNED TO IAD. WE LANDED ABOUT 700 LBS OVERWT WITH A DSCNT OF LESS THAN 200 FPM. HUMAN FACTORS: DID NOT BELIEVE WE ACTUALLY HAD ANY SMOKE (AND DID NOT PERCEIVE ANY). THE FO HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE ON A RECENT FLT THAT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DEST SO WAS A LITTLE SLOW TO BELIEVE WE ACTUALLY HAD A PROB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 633309: MAINT WORKED FOR APPROX 45 MINS AND ENDED UP RELEASING THE ACFT WITH A DEFERRED EXTRACT VALVE IN OVERRIDE. EMER DECLARED.
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.