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A B737-300 crew experienced an equipment cooling failure followed by flight instrument and cabin pressure failure. Normal system operations returned following descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 665980 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200507 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zab.artcc |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl single value : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Rain |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 665980 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : equipment cooling light |
| Resolutory Action | aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Night departure from phx-las. Level 4 and 5 thunderstorms in the area and en route. Departures were stopped. After 45 mins; departures were released. On the chilly 1 departure; via radar vectors for WX avoidance. During climb out between FL230-FL280; equipment cooling supply side off light illuminated. Reference the QRH switch to alternate; off light continued to flicker on and off. Both the first officer's and captain's EFIS screens began to fade; losing color and symbols. Autoplt disengaged; captain took over hand flying the aircraft utilizing standby instruments. Around leveling at FL280; cabin horn sounded and then automatic fail light illuminated on overhead pressurization panel. Cabin altitude needle was climbing. Oxygen masks donned; reference QRH switch to standby mode; and cabin began to pressurize. Flight attendants called and informed us that the oxygen masks had dropped and were used. Captain made PA to passenger letting them know situation was under control. Notified ZAB that we had a pressurization problem and wanted to descend. EFIS screens began to return color. Once clear of the WX; ZAB gave us a descent and radar vectors to join the arrival to las. Normal approach and landing were executed. Debriefed with maintenance who informed us that the aircraft had previous issues (history) with equipment cooling fan. Captain did an excellent job in managing the situation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-300 CREW EXPERIENCED AN EQUIP COOLING FAILURE FOLLOWED BY FLT INST AND CABIN PRESSURE FAILURE. NORMAL SYS OPS RETURNED FOLLOWING DSCNT.
Narrative: NIGHT DEP FROM PHX-LAS. LEVEL 4 AND 5 TSTMS IN THE AREA AND ENRTE. DEPS WERE STOPPED. AFTER 45 MINS; DEPS WERE RELEASED. ON THE CHILLY 1 DEP; VIA RADAR VECTORS FOR WX AVOIDANCE. DURING CLBOUT BTWN FL230-FL280; EQUIP COOLING SUPPLY SIDE OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATED. REF THE QRH SWITCH TO ALTERNATE; OFF LIGHT CONTINUED TO FLICKER ON AND OFF. BOTH THE FO'S AND CAPT'S EFIS SCREENS BEGAN TO FADE; LOSING COLOR AND SYMBOLS. AUTOPLT DISENGAGED; CAPT TOOK OVER HAND FLYING THE ACFT UTILIZING STANDBY INSTS. AROUND LEVELING AT FL280; CABIN HORN SOUNDED AND THEN AUTO FAIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON OVERHEAD PRESSURIZATION PANEL. CABIN ALT NEEDLE WAS CLBING. OXYGEN MASKS DONNED; REF QRH SWITCH TO STANDBY MODE; AND CABIN BEGAN TO PRESSURIZE. FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED AND INFORMED US THAT THE OXYGEN MASKS HAD DROPPED AND WERE USED. CAPT MADE PA TO PAX LETTING THEM KNOW SIT WAS UNDER CTL. NOTIFIED ZAB THAT WE HAD A PRESSURIZATION PROB AND WANTED TO DSND. EFIS SCREENS BEGAN TO RETURN COLOR. ONCE CLR OF THE WX; ZAB GAVE US A DSCNT AND RADAR VECTORS TO JOIN THE ARR TO LAS. NORMAL APCH AND LNDG WERE EXECUTED. DEBRIEFED WITH MAINT WHO INFORMED US THAT THE ACFT HAD PREVIOUS ISSUES (HISTORY) WITH EQUIP COOLING FAN. CAPT DID AN EXCELLENT JOB IN MANAGING THE SIT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.