EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION. DIVERT TO LAS.
Synopsis
EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION. DIVERT TO LAS.
Narrative
I WAS HAND FLYING DURING CLB TO FL370 WITH AUTO THROTTLES ON. AT ABOUT FL350 WE ALL HEARD A LOUD 'WHUMP' AND FELT THE AIRPLANE SHUDDER. A QUICK GLANCE AT THE ENG INSTS REVEALED NOTHING ABNORMAL. I THEN TURNED TO SEE THAT THE SO'S ANNUNCIATOR PANEL WAS ALSO NORMAL. JUST AS I ASKED IF ANYONE KNEW WHAT THE NOISE WAS; I FELT THE PRESSURE CHANGE AND HEARD THE CABIN ALT ALERT HORN. I SAID 'WE'RE LOSING PRESSURIZATION' AND REACHED FOR MY OXYGEN MASK. AS I DONNED IT I TOLD THE FO TO DECLARE AN EMER AND GET A LOWER ALT. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTO THROTTLES AND CLOSED THE THROTTLES; SIMULTANEOUSLY PUSHING THE NOSE OVER. I CAUTIOUSLY EXTENDED THE SPD BRAKE; AND WHEN NO CHANGE WAS FELT IN CTL RESPONSE; I ACCELERATED TO THE BARBER POLE. ALL THE IMMEDIATE ACTION ITEMS HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED; BUT NOTHING THE SO DID HAD THE SLIGHTEST EFFECT ON PRESSURIZATION. WHEN ASKED OF OUR INTENTIONS BY ATC; WE ADVISED THEM OF OUR INTENT TO LAND IN LAS VEGAS; AND TO HAVE THE EQUIP STANDING BY. I LEVELED AT 11000 AND ORDERED MASKS REMOVED TO BETTER COM. AFTER RPTING THE ARPT IN SIGHT WE ACCEPTED A VISUAL TO RWY 1. THE WIND WAS NW; AND I DID NOT WANT TO DELAY LNDG. I DISCUSSED TIME REMAINING WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS. I ADVISED NO EVAC UNLESS SOMETHING OBVIOUS OCCURRED -- FIRE; COLLAPSED GEAR; ETC. I MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. I ASKED THE EMER CREW TO CHK GEAR; THEN WE TAXIED TO THE GATE WHERE ALL PAXS DEPLANED VIA JETWAY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION THE RESULT OF A BULKHEAD FAILING NEAR THE HATCH TO THE ACCESSORY COMPARTMENT. CABIN ALT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WAS ABOUT 5400 FT. ESTIMATED TIME FOR THE CABIN TO REACH ACFT ALT 35000 FT WAS LESS THEN 6 SECONDS. ALL PAX MASKS DEPLOYED; SOME CABIN ATTENDANT STATION MASKS DID NOT. AS A RESULT OF THE OXYGEN GENERATORS HEAT; ONE OXYGEN HOSE WAS BURNED THROUGH AND THE SMALL FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE CABIN ATTENDANT WITH A PORTABLE FIRE BOTTLE. NO INJURIES TO ANY PAX. IS CONCERNED BY THE LACK OF FAR DIRECTION IN THE POST FLT EXAMINATION OF THE PAX AND CREW TO DETERMINE IF ANY TRAUMATIC EFFECT RESULTED FROM THE INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 193200. INCIDENTAL DIFFICULTIES WERE COMMUNICATING; WITH PRESSURE BREATHING; AND LOSS OF A CREW MEMBER EAR PIECE WHILE DONNING OXYGEN MASK; BUT VISUAL AND HAND SIGNALS WERE QUITE ADEQUATE. AN OBSERVER (QUALIFIED WDB SO) WAS UTILIZED TO INSPECT THE CABIN. MORE INFO ON PHYSIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS ON CONTINUING WORKING ON LATER FLTS IN ONE'S SCHEDULE SHOULD BE AVAILABLE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.