A B727-200 lost pressurization at FL290. The crew declared an emergency and returned to land after d...

Attributes
ACN	675331
Time
Date	200510
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 7550 flight time type : 4400
ASRS Report	675331
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 127 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	675333
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Climbing through FL290; crew noticed that cabin altitude was climbing through 9000-9500 ft. Began to try to correct the situation with the flight engineer; but was unable to stop the rising cabin. Soon after requested descent from ZLA. Began descent to 10000 ft. Reaching 10000 ft; began briefing flight attendant and began fuel climbing to land at a safe landing weight. Continued to ZZZ2 and landed safely. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: captain stated that there has been no determination about the depressurization's cause. Air carrier assumes the flight crew left the packs off after engine start and that it took until FL290 with the outflow valve fully closed for the aircraft to climb about 10000 ft. What he has determined through his own investigation of this aircraft's history is that since this event; 1 pack valve has been replaced and frayed wiring effecting the pressurization system has been found. A similar event occurred to another crew approximately 1 month following this event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 LOST PRESSURIZATION AT FL290. THE CREW DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO LAND AFTER DUMPING FUEL.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH FL290; CREW NOTICED THAT CABIN ALT WAS CLBING THROUGH 9000-9500 FT. BEGAN TO TRY TO CORRECT THE SITUATION WITH THE FE; BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE RISING CABIN. SOON AFTER REQUESTED DSCNT FROM ZLA. BEGAN DSCNT TO 10000 FT. REACHING 10000 FT; BEGAN BRIEFING FLT ATTENDANT AND BEGAN FUEL CLBING TO LAND AT A SAFE LNDG WT. CONTINUED TO ZZZ2 AND LANDED SAFELY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CAPT STATED THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO DETERMINATION ABOUT THE DEPRESSURIZATION'S CAUSE. ACR ASSUMES THE FLT CREW LEFT THE PACKS OFF AFTER ENG START AND THAT IT TOOK UNTIL FL290 WITH THE OUTFLOW VALVE FULLY CLOSED FOR THE ACFT TO CLB ABOUT 10000 FT. WHAT HE HAS DETERMINED THROUGH HIS OWN INVESTIGATION OF THIS ACFT'S HISTORY IS THAT SINCE THIS EVENT; 1 PACK VALVE HAS BEEN REPLACED AND FRAYED WIRING EFFECTING THE PRESSURIZATION SYS HAS BEEN FOUND. A SIMILAR EVENT OCCURRED TO ANOTHER CREW APPROX 1 MONTH FOLLOWING THIS EVENT.

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.

A B727-200 lost pressurization at FL290. The crew declared an emergency and returned to land after dumping fuel.