# Incident 20050702019319I: Boeing 7373B7, Richmond, VA, July 2, 2005

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 2, 2005, 10:54 local time
- Place: Richmond, VA
- Airport: Richmond International - Byrd Field
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: USAA
- Location: 37.5538° N, 77.4603° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Richmond, VA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.5538&lon=-77.4603&mi=10
- Aircraft: N397US, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N397US-2006-07-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Boeing 737-3B7 (registry code 138447F, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-3b7) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: CFM International CFM56 series (registry code 13802, https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 7373B7
- People aboard: 101
- Fatal injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050702019319I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) AN EMERGENCY DESCENT WAS INITIATED AFTER THE CABIN ALTITUDE WARNING WAS TRIGGERED AS THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED THROUGH 27,700FT, AND THE CABIN ALTITUDE WAS CONFIRMED CLIMBING PAST 10,000FT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AT RIC, AND TAXIED TO THE GATE, WHERE ALL PASSENGERS AND CREW DEPLANED VIA THE MAIN CABIN DOOR. THE CABIN ALTITUDE NEVER REACHED THE OXYGEN MASK DEPLOYMENT TRIGGER POINT. TWENTY EIGHT PASSENGERS PASSENGERS AND ONE CABIN CREWMEMBER WERE TREATED LOCALLY BY AIRPORT EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL FOR HEAD AND EAR ACHES, AND NOSE BLEEDS. OF THOSE, 28 WERE RELEASED, AND ONE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR FURTHER OBSERVATION, AND LATER ALSO RELEASED. THE POST-LANDING INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A PIECE OF THE AFT LAVATORY WATER TANK FIBERGLASS INSULATING BLANKET HAD BECOME LOOSE, AND FALLEN ON TOP OF THE OUTFLOW VALVE, FOULING ITS OPERATION. MAINTENANCE CHANGED THE OUTFLOW VALVE, AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE, AND RESECURED THE WATER TANK INSULATION. THE PRESSURIZATION SYSTEM WAS FUNCTIONALLY CHECKED PER THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL, AND THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO SERVICE.

## Other reports on N397US (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20000203038769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000203038769A), Feb 3, 2000: Boeing 7373B7 (N397US), Boston, MA. (.4)While in cruise flight, the airplane encountered turbulence, and the flight attendants returned to their seats. The turbulence continued, and a cart began…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.