PA46 PILOT REPORTS PRESSURIZATION LOSS AT FL270 AND RAPID DESCENT TO 12000 FEET. OXYGEN MASK CAUSES HEADSET TO FALL OFF AND NO COM UNTIL IT IS RETRIEVED.
Synopsis
PA46 PILOT REPORTS PRESSURIZATION LOSS AT FL270 AND RAPID DESCENT TO 12000 FEET. OXYGEN MASK CAUSES HEADSET TO FALL OFF AND NO COM UNTIL IT IS RETRIEVED.
Narrative
I WAS CRUISING AT FL270 AND HAD A RAPID TOTAL DEPRESSURIZATION. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED ATC AND TOLD THEM I WAS MAKING A RAPID DSCNT. WHILE PUTTING ON THE EMER OXYGEN; MY HEADSET WAS KNOCKED OFF AND IT WAS SEVERAL MOMENTS UNTIL I RE-ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH ATC. I CHKED MY TCAS; MAKING SURE THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT IN MY PATH. WHEN I RE-ESTABLISHED CONTACT; ATC TOLD ME TO TURN TO 90 DEGS AND DSND TO 12000 FT AS REQUESTED; AND ASKED IF I WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER. I TOLD ATC THINGS WERE UNDER CTL AND I DIDN'T NEED TO DECLARE AN EMER. DSNDED TO A NON OXYGEN ALT AND CONTINUED THE FLT TO MY DEST. ATC WAS VERY HELPFUL AND DID NOT TAKE ISSUE WITH MY DSCNT; AND MAY HAVE AUTH IT; BUT I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE MY HEADSET WAS OFF FOR A FEW MOMENTS WHILE PUTTING ON THE OXYGEN; SO I'M NOT SURE IF I DSNDED WITH OR WITHOUT CLRNC. THE PRESSURE LOSS WAS THE RESULT OF THE MICROSWITCH ON THE GEAR THAT DEPRESSURIZES WHEN THE GEAR IS LOWERED FAILING INFLT WITH THE GEAR UP. I MAY NOT HAVE DSNDED WITHOUT PERMISSION; BUT AM NOT SURE; EVEN THOUGH ATC DID NOT SAY I DID ANYTHING WRONG AND WAS VERY HELPFUL.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.