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|
Attributes | |
ACN | 804949 |
Time | |
Date | 200809 |
Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | atc facility : zzz.artcc |
State Reference | US |
Altitude | msl single value : 30000 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc artcc : zzz.artcc |
Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
Make Model Name | A320 |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
Flight Phase | cruise : level |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | company : air carrier |
Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
Qualification | pilot : atp |
ASRS Report | 804949 |
Events | |
Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe |
Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam other flight crewa |
Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
Supplementary | |
Problem Areas | Aircraft |
Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
On sunday we operated flight ZZZ-ZZZ1 and while at cruise level 350 we first had an ECAM indication with 'cabin attendant pr 2' fault about 2 hours into our flight. We referred to the fcom 3 which indicated crew awareness. We also notified dispatch via ACARS as well as read up on subsequent failures for faults on both system of cpc (cabin pressure control) to be prepared if needed. Unfortunately; we did receive an ECAM about 30 mins later with excess cabin attendant altitude. We notified ATC and requested a lower altitude. We initiated our turn first since we had traffic exactly below us. After clearing traffic we initiated descent to FL240 and started ECAM action -- QRH emergency descent procedure. As we descended the warning was intermittent and subsequently the warning went out and noticed that the cabin was normal; cabin altitude indication was normal (5850); vertical speed (0); and differential pressure was (7.8). We were about to manually deploy the oxygen masks as part of our procedure but noticed that the cabin was normal and determined that there was no need to do so; which would have led us to divert. ATC further cleared us to 10000 ft but advised him (ATC) that everything was normal and requested to level off at FL290 and proceeded back on course. We contacted dispatch; maintenance; reviewed our procedures; and verified that everything was normal. We confirmed and determined with dispatch that we could continue to ZZZ and to climb to FL330 as best option. Dispatch sent us the necessary information ie; WX; for possible diversion airports and new fuel burn to destination. We informed our flight attendants as well and kept them seated while we reviewed what I mentioned above and later released them but told them to be alert. Communication with dispatcher was excellent as well as with maintenance control. We also; had the cids resetting itself multiple times during the flight. I discussed this with maintenance and concluded that it was related since 'cabin attendant pr 2' was faulted and was sending messages to the cids which triggered the ECAM warning for 2 seconds; seat belts signs on; cabin lt and exit signs on despite the cabin pressure being normal. The masks did not automatic deploy since the cabin altitude never exceeded 14000 ft per system design or was abnormal at anytime. We landed in ZZZ with no further problems and later called maintenance and dispatch to give them more insight about the situation for future reference. The necessary logbook entries were made. Pressurization problems are not normally expected yet in this case the flight crew prepared since one system had already failed. We did not anticipate further problems but we were aware that it was possible to experience further faults. So; preparation; communication; coordination and good CRM are tools that we used to address any circumstance and we executed all of them well enough to avoid further system problems in this scenario.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320'S CABIN PRESS CTLR #2 FAILED SENDING A FALSE SIGNAL TO CIDS WHICH IN TURN CAUSED EMER EXIT LTS; CABIN LTS; AND SEAT BELT SIGNS TO TURN ON.
Narrative: ON SUNDAY WE OPERATED FLT ZZZ-ZZZ1 AND WHILE AT CRUISE LEVEL 350 WE FIRST HAD AN ECAM INDICATION WITH 'CAB PR 2' FAULT ABOUT 2 HRS INTO OUR FLT. WE REFERRED TO THE FCOM 3 WHICH INDICATED CREW AWARENESS. WE ALSO NOTIFIED DISPATCH VIA ACARS AS WELL AS READ UP ON SUBSEQUENT FAILURES FOR FAULTS ON BOTH SYS OF CPC (CABIN PRESSURE CTL) TO BE PREPARED IF NEEDED. UNFORTUNATELY; WE DID RECEIVE AN ECAM ABOUT 30 MINS LATER WITH EXCESS CAB ALT. WE NOTIFIED ATC AND REQUESTED A LOWER ALT. WE INITIATED OUR TURN FIRST SINCE WE HAD TFC EXACTLY BELOW US. AFTER CLRING TFC WE INITIATED DSCNT TO FL240 AND STARTED ECAM ACTION -- QRH EMER DSCNT PROC. AS WE DSNDED THE WARNING WAS INTERMITTENT AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE WARNING WENT OUT AND NOTICED THAT THE CABIN WAS NORMAL; CABIN ALT INDICATION WAS NORMAL (5850); VERT SPD (0); AND DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE WAS (7.8). WE WERE ABOUT TO MANUALLY DEPLOY THE OXYGEN MASKS AS PART OF OUR PROC BUT NOTICED THAT THE CABIN WAS NORMAL AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO NEED TO DO SO; WHICH WOULD HAVE LED US TO DIVERT. ATC FURTHER CLRED US TO 10000 FT BUT ADVISED HIM (ATC) THAT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL AND REQUESTED TO LEVEL OFF AT FL290 AND PROCEEDED BACK ON COURSE. WE CONTACTED DISPATCH; MAINT; REVIEWED OUR PROCS; AND VERIFIED THAT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. WE CONFIRMED AND DETERMINED WITH DISPATCH THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO ZZZ AND TO CLB TO FL330 AS BEST OPTION. DISPATCH SENT US THE NECESSARY INFO IE; WX; FOR POSSIBLE DIVERSION ARPTS AND NEW FUEL BURN TO DEST. WE INFORMED OUR FLT ATTENDANTS AS WELL AND KEPT THEM SEATED WHILE WE REVIEWED WHAT I MENTIONED ABOVE AND LATER RELEASED THEM BUT TOLD THEM TO BE ALERT. COM WITH DISPATCHER WAS EXCELLENT AS WELL AS WITH MAINT CTL. WE ALSO; HAD THE CIDS RESETTING ITSELF MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE FLT. I DISCUSSED THIS WITH MAINT AND CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS RELATED SINCE 'CAB PR 2' WAS FAULTED AND WAS SENDING MESSAGES TO THE CIDS WHICH TRIGGERED THE ECAM WARNING FOR 2 SECONDS; SEAT BELTS SIGNS ON; CABIN LT AND EXIT SIGNS ON DESPITE THE CABIN PRESSURE BEING NORMAL. THE MASKS DID NOT AUTO DEPLOY SINCE THE CABIN ALT NEVER EXCEEDED 14000 FT PER SYS DESIGN OR WAS ABNORMAL AT ANYTIME. WE LANDED IN ZZZ WITH NO FURTHER PROBS AND LATER CALLED MAINT AND DISPATCH TO GIVE THEM MORE INSIGHT ABOUT THE SITUATION FOR FUTURE REF. THE NECESSARY LOGBOOK ENTRIES WERE MADE. PRESSURIZATION PROBS ARE NOT NORMALLY EXPECTED YET IN THIS CASE THE FLT CREW PREPARED SINCE ONE SYS HAD ALREADY FAILED. WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE FURTHER PROBS BUT WE WERE AWARE THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO EXPERIENCE FURTHER FAULTS. SO; PREPARATION; COM; COORD AND GOOD CRM ARE TOOLS THAT WE USED TO ADDRESS ANY CIRCUMSTANCE AND WE EXECUTED ALL OF THEM WELL ENOUGH TO AVOID FURTHER SYS PROBS IN THIS SCENARIO.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.