ERJ-175 flight crew reported a Bleed 1 fail; followed by a bleed two fail resulting a a diversion.
Synopsis
ERJ-175 flight crew reported a Bleed 1 fail; followed by a bleed two fail resulting a a diversion.
Narrative
Captain is pilot monitoring (PM) and First Officer acted as pilot flying (PF). While cruising at FL330; 'Bleed 1 fail' message appeared on EICAS. Crew ran the associated QRH procedure; and issue appeared to be resolved. Minutes later; Bleed 1 fail message re-appeared; and we requested a descent down to FL310 where we could continue the flight with a single bleed source. Approximately 5 minutes later; Bleed 2 fail message appeared. The PM repeated the reset procedure for Bleed 2. After the message failed to extinguish; the PM called for an immediate descent down to 15;000 so we could pressurize the cabin with our APU. PF began a priority descent; but due to the high workload; failed to reference the Electrical Power Center (EPC) for priority descent. As a result of the high workload; and failing to call for EPC; the crew overlooked squawking 7700; and never officially declared; however; ATC asked the crew for souls on board and remaining fuel which was interpreted by us as a declaration of priority for us. Weather in the descent was broken ceilings all the way down. PF remained focused on flying and scanning instruments; as the PM requested vectors and attempted to start the APU so we could maintain 15;000 ft. ATC provided vectors due to mountainous terrain. After multiple failed attempts to start the APU; crew requested further descent to 9;000; ATC was unable to accommodate this due to high terrain; and instead cleared us to maintain 10;000. Due to the inability to start the APU for pressurization; the crew reset the bleeds; as another attempt to regain some sort of pressurization. Throughout the time descending; cabin altitude was being called out by the PF; and the PM called for oxygen masks to be donned. Upon donning the masks; PF realized that their microphone was INOP; and could only motion to the PM that they were unable to communicate. Around this time; cabin altitude was in the red; and the aural warning sounded for CABIN ALT HI; unfortunately again the EPC was overlooked due to the high workload. Passenger oxygen masks did not deploy. Upon reaching 10;000 ft.; we had entered into a valley of surrounding mountains; and due to this were receiving vectors to circle us in the area while we decided what to do. The PF; still unable to talk with the oxygen mask on noted that cabin altitude was returning to normal levels; and the crew opted to re-stow masks so crew communications wouldn't be interrupted. An airport (ZZZ1) was offered to us; but the crew decided that it was only a last resort option; as it was not an approved airport; and as such as did not have charts or other information available to us for the field. After multiple attempts to start the APU; we had a successful start; and now had a higher altitude of 15;000 available to us. With this increase in altitude; we decided on ZZZ as our diversion airport; and received vectors to the airport. Crew ran emergency ABC's to ensure they had not missed anything prior to landing; and safely touched down at ZZZ.
Second reporter narrative
While cruising at FL330 BLEED 1 FAIL appeared on the EICAS screen. We ran the appropriate QRH and the message extinguished but returned with a couple of minutes. We referenced the QRH again pushed out the BLEED 1 button and descended to FL310. Approximately five minutes later BLEED 2 FAIL appeared on the EICAS screen. We immediately ran the QRH and the message extinguished temporarily. When the message returned I called for an immediate descent to 15000 in order to use the APU as the bleed source and notified ATC that we needed to descend immediately to 15000. ATC [gave priority handling] but overlooked the Electrical Power Center (EPC) for the descent and we didn't change our squawk to 7700 due to the demanding; stressful; high workload situation and keeping our priorities of Aviate; Navigate; Communicate in order. This portion of the route was over high altitude mountainous terrain so I requested vectors to remain clear of terrain. During the descent we attempted 4 separate times once below FL300 to start the APU and got the message APU FAIL each time until the fourth successful attempt. I then told ATC we needed to descend further to 9000 ft. but because of the high terrain the could only clear us to 10000 ft. in that area and we accepted that clearance. While in the descent; taking radio calls; bugging headings and altitudes; trouble shooting the bleeds; monitoring cabin altitude and continuing to try to start the APU; I called for the quick don oxygen masks due to the climbing cabin altitude and we donned them. Also we pushed in both bleed button to try to regain pressurization. Just before leveling off at 10000 ft. we got the CABIN ALTITUDE HIGH WARNING EICAS message and with everything else going on and us already having the oxygen masks off; the CABIN ALTITUDE HIGH EPC was overlooked. As we leveled off and got a successful four start attempt with the APU the EICAS messages had cleared and pressurization was returning to normal and the CABIN ALTITUDE HIGH message cleared. The passenger oxygen masks did not deploy during the flight. The area we descended into was a high mountain valley with only one airport; ZZZ1 with one 7500 ft. runway with no facilities; no Tower; and we had no chart information on so decided that this airport was a last resort and indeed not our best option. Once we saw that pressurization was normal and to allow better communication we removed the quick don masks. After weighing the options and evaluating the situation of normal functions of the pressurization system having returned I chose to divert to the closest airport in our Operations specifications with facilities I was familiar with which was ZZZ. We ran through the emergency ABC's and informed ATC and had them relay a message to company about our situation due to no comms with our ACARS system; informed the flight attendants; and the passengers of our situation began getting the aircraft configured for the diversion to ZZZ. We were vectored around terrain at 14000 ft. but along a route that would allow the lowest altitude should the pressurization issue arise again. We flew the vectors into ZZZ for a visual approach to Runway XX landed and taxied to the gate without further incident.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.