During climb cabin attendant observed a separation in ceiling panels on an air carrier medium large transport. Flight crew received clearance for lower altitude to reduce cabin pressure and when this caused panels to return to normal the aircraft diverted to alternate for inspection.

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Attributes
ACN	87110
Time
Date	198805
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crl
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	87110
Person 2
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

First officer flying. F/a advised there appeared to be some buckling, bulging and separation of some overhead ceiling panels (non-structural) in the vicinity of seat 5A-B-C. Climb was stopped, lower altitude requested and reduction of differential pressure initiated. The seat belt sign was turned on, F/a's directed to return to seats and remain seated and company radio call to maintenance for history of similar or related problems. Experienced some difficulty in communicating with company maintenance personnel (internal communication priorities) and as a result of an unclear maintenance history (recent FAA ad had required a one-time inspection as a result of the air carrier Y incident) and further F/a observation of ceiling panels returning to original positions coincident with reduction in different pressure the decision to continue descent and make an unscheduled landing at dtw was made. Landing was uneventful, initial FAA and company investigation indicate no obvious structural problems. Aircraft has been impounded by FAA pending further investigation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING CLIMB CAB OBSERVED A SEPARATION IN CEILING PANELS ON AN ACR MLG. FLT CREW RECEIVED CLRNC FOR LOWER ALT TO REDUCE CABIN PRESSURE AND WHEN THIS CAUSED PANELS TO RETURN TO NORMAL THE ACFT DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE FOR INSPECTION.

Narrative: F/O FLYING. F/A ADVISED THERE APPEARED TO BE SOME BUCKLING, BULGING AND SEPARATION OF SOME OVERHEAD CEILING PANELS (NON-STRUCTURAL) IN THE VICINITY OF SEAT 5A-B-C. CLIMB WAS STOPPED, LOWER ALT REQUESTED AND REDUCTION OF DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE INITIATED. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS TURNED ON, F/A'S DIRECTED TO RETURN TO SEATS AND REMAIN SEATED AND COMPANY RADIO CALL TO MAINT FOR HISTORY OF SIMILAR OR RELATED PROBLEMS. EXPERIENCED SOME DIFFICULTY IN COMMUNICATING WITH COMPANY MAINT PERSONNEL (INTERNAL COMMUNICATION PRIORITIES) AND AS A RESULT OF AN UNCLEAR MAINT HISTORY (RECENT FAA AD HAD REQUIRED A ONE-TIME INSPECTION AS A RESULT OF THE ACR Y INCIDENT) AND FURTHER F/A OBSERVATION OF CEILING PANELS RETURNING TO ORIGINAL POSITIONS COINCIDENT WITH REDUCTION IN DIFFERENT PRESSURE THE DECISION TO CONTINUE DESCENT AND MAKE AN UNSCHEDULED LNDG AT DTW WAS MADE. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL, INITIAL FAA AND COMPANY INVESTIGATION INDICATE NO OBVIOUS STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS. ACFT HAS BEEN IMPOUNDED BY FAA PENDING FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.