Service difficulty report · Check Valve · Airbus A330323

Difficulty date
March 21, 2013
Submitted
March 28, 2013
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N271AY
Make and model
Airbus A330323
Aircraft serial
323
Aircraft time
59,710 hours, 9,288 cycles
Part
Check Valve
Part number
406318139
Condition
Failed
Location
Ram Air Intake
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
J
Precautionary procedure
B, G, A

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

FLT 755, EN ROUTE. AT FL380, AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN CABIN DEPRESSURIZATION. RECEIVED ECAM MESSAGES "CABIN ALTITUDE", "CAB PR LO DIPR PR", AND "MAINTENANCE STATUS BMC2". INITIATED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT AND DONNED O2 MASKS. DURING EMERGENCY DESCENT, RATE OF DEPRESSURIZATION INCREASED TO NEARLY 2000 FPM. OTHER THAN A MUFFLED THUD AND EARS POPPING, THERE WAS NO OBVIOUS CAUSE INDICATED. FLIGHT LEVELED OFF TO 10,000 FT AND CONTINUED TO DESTINATION, AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. MAINTENANCE INSPECTED THE EMERGENCY RAM AIR INLET CHECK VALVE AND FOUND THE VALVE MISSING ONE OF THE FLAPPER HALVES. MAINTENANCE REPLACED THE EMERGENCY RAM AIR INLET CHECK VALVE. MAINTENANCE ALSO REPLACED ALL SPENT EMERGENCY OXYGEN GENERATORS IN THE AIRCRAFT CABIN.

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