FlySafair Boeing 737-800 Cabin Decompression Incident (ZS-SJU)

Incident Overview and Flight Details On 22 September 2025, a Boeing 737-800 registered as ZS-SJU, operated by FlySafair, was conducting a scheduled commercial flight from Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (FAPE) in the Eastern Cape Province to Cape Town International Airport (FACT) in the Western Cape Province. The aircraft was carrying two pilots, four cabin crew members, and 185 passengers. The flight departed FAPE without incident and climbed to flight level 360 (FL360). ## Event Sequence and Crew Response While cruising abeam George, the cabin altitude annunciator and associated aural warning activated, indicating a decompression event. The captain, who was the pilot monitoring, took over control of the aircraft, and both flight crew members donned their oxygen masks. In the main cabin, passenger oxygen masks deployed automatically. The first officer, acting as the pilot flying, contacted FACT approach control and requested an emergency descent to flight level 100 (FL100). During the descent, the first officer tested the manual mode cabin pressure control, which operated normally, allowing the cabin pressure to be regulated. The aircraft descended safely and leveled off at FL100. After the descent, the flight crew removed their oxygen masks, and the captain handed control back to the first officer. The captain then called the senior cabin crew member to the cockpit to check on the well-being of the passengers and crew, who reported no injuries. ## Approach and Landing Upon reaching FACT, the aircraft's speed on final approach for Runway 19 was too high, necessitating a missed approach. Following air traffic control vectors, the aircraft executed another approach and landed safely. ## Investigation Findings and Probable Cause The investigation determined that the decompression was caused by a latent internal failure of cabin pressure controller 1. This failure prevented automatic pressurization control and inhibited a successful transfer to the alternate controller, resulting in the loss of automatic cabin pressure regulation during cruise. No injuries or damage to the aircraft were reported.