B738, en-route, southwest of Metz France, 2018

B738, en-route, southwest of Metz France, 2018

Summary

On 13 July 2018, a Boeing 737-800 cruising at FL370 at night experienced a sudden rapid depressurisation. An emergency descent to FL 090 followed but the cabin altitude was not manually controlled and after the cabin pressure had risen to that equivalent to 7000 feet below sea level, immediate equalisation of cabin and actual altitudes resulted in a second sudden depressurisation. Diversion to Frankfurt Hahn was completed without further event. The first depressurisation had resulted from a transient and rare pressure controller malfunction but passenger injuries were considered attributable to a complete absence of pressurisation control during the emergency descent.

Description

On 13 July 2018, a Boeing 737-800 (EI-EMN) being operated by Ryanair on an international passenger flight from Dublin to Zadar, Croatia as FR7312 was in the cruise at FL 370 in night VMC when a sudden loss of pressurisation occurred and an emergency descent was initiated with the malfunctioning outflow valve (OFV) closed but when this valve was manually reopened at FL090, a second rapid decompression occurred. After a diversion to Hahn it was found that two cabin crew and up to 41 of the 190 passengers had sustained minor injuries and required medical assistance, some receiving this at the airport, others at four local hospitals.

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