A B757 ACFT FLYING IN ZDV AIRSPACE EXPERIENCES A RAPID LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION. DURING THIS LOSS OF PRESSURE AND THE ACFT DSNDING TO A LOWER ALT; AN ODOR IS DETECTED THAT MAKES THE FLC THINK A FIRE COULD BE HAPPENING.
Synopsis
A B757 ACFT FLYING IN ZDV AIRSPACE EXPERIENCES A RAPID LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION. DURING THIS LOSS OF PRESSURE AND THE ACFT DSNDING TO A LOWER ALT; AN ODOR IS DETECTED THAT MAKES THE FLC THINK A FIRE COULD BE HAPPENING.
Narrative
THE EVENT OCCURRED MORE THAN 6 WKS AGO PRIOR TO VACATION SO SOME MINOR DETAILS ARE DIFFICULT TO RECALL. FOR A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION REFER TO CAPT'S RPT WHICH I HAVE READ AND MADE MY INPUTS INTO. THE ACFT LOGBOOK ALSO CONTAINS A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INDICATIONS LEADING UP TO AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE RAPID DEPRESSURIZATION. THE ONLY SALIENT POINT OF INTEREST TO ADD IS THAT AFTER PERFORMING THE EXPLOSIVE AND RAPID DSCNT CHKLISTS; I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ELECTRICAL OVERHEAT SMELL BOTH IN THE COCKPIT AND RPTED BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS. THIS COMBINED WITH THE SEEMINGLY UNRELATED SYS PROBS LED ME TO SUSPECT A POSSIBLY MORE SERIOUS PROB SUCH AS AN OVERHEAT OR FIRE. THE SYS PROBS HAVE SINCE BEEN SORTED OUT AND THE RELATIONSHIPS EXPLAINED AND THE ELECTRICAL SMELL TURNED OUT TO BE THE DUST ON THE OXYGEN GENERATORS HEATING UP. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH MANY OF MY AIRLINE PLT FRIENDS FROM ACR AND OTHER AIRLINES AND SOME WERE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL SMOKY SMELL BUT MOST WERE NOT. WHILE I REALIZE THAT WE DON'T WANT TO ENCOURAGE ANY CREWS TO DISMISS A POTENTIAL FIRE; A NOTE IN THE RAPID DSCNT CHKLIST OR THE PREAMBLE TO THE EMER SECTION ABOUT THE SMELL ASSOCIATED WITH DEPLOYING THE MASKS MIGHT RELAY SOME EXTRANEOUS CONCERNS.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.