Created Thursday, Jan 6th 2022 16:22Z, last updated Wednesday, Apr 13th 2022 14:26Z
A Virgin Australia Fokker 100, registration VH-FNU performing flight
VA-1896 from Newman,WA to Perth,WA (Australia) with 7 passengers and 5 crew, was enroute at FL340 when a flight attendant began to feel unwell and was treated with portable oxygen. The flgiht crew climbed the aircraft to FL350. A few minutes later the other two flight attendants also felt unwell and told the flight crew they suspected hypoxia. The first officer also felt light headed and experienced slight nausea. The flight crew donned their oxygen masks as precaution, performed an emergency descent to FL100 and continued to Perth for a safe landing. The incapacitated flgiht attendant was taken to a hospital.
The aircraft remained on the ground for 3 days and 16 hours.
The ATSB opened an investigation expected to conclude in Q3/2022 into the occurrence.
On Apr 13th 2022 the ATSB reported they aborted the investigation. The ATSB reasoned:
- The normal cabin altitude for the Fokker F100 at FL350 is 8,000 ft.
- The flight crew recalled that the cabin altitude reached about 8,300 ft.
- The excessive cabin altitude warning (which activates at 10,000 ft) did not activate during the flight.
- The drop-down cabin oxygen masks automatically deploy at a cabin altitude of 13,500 ft on the Fokker F100 aircraft. The masks did not automatically deploy and were manually deployed by the flight crew.
Inspections and tests were conducted in accordance with the aircraft maintenance manual and in consultation with the aircraft manufacturer. Although there were defects identified, none were considered contributory to a depressurisation event or to the symptoms and subsequent incapacitation reported by the crew members. Several components were changed as a precaution.
The available evidence indicates that the aircraft’s cabin altitude remained below 10,000 ft. The reasons for the cabin crew and flight crew symptoms could not be established.
The decision by the flight crew to don oxygen masks and descend to a safe altitude was sound. If there is any doubt as to whether the flight crew’s ability to operate the aircraft may be affected by a possible oxygen supply problem, the safest course of action is to go onto oxygen as soon as possible.
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