AMTP 329 BANAYBANAY,BANSIL,ROSARIO

B744, en-route, South China Sea, 2008

On 25 July 2008, a Boeing 747 suffered a rapid depressurisation of the cabin following the
sudden failure of an oxygen cylinder, which had ruptured the aircraft's pressure hull.
The incident occurred 475 km north-west of Manila, Philippines.
AMTP 329 BANAYBANAY,BANSIL,ROSARIO

 Boeing 747-400 being operated by Qantas on a scheduled passenger flight from Hong

Kong to Melbourne in day  was cruising at FL290 when it rapidly depressurised following
the sudden explosive rupture of one of the emergency oxygen cylinders located in the
forward cargo hold which entered the passenger cabin before falling from the aircraft.
 A MAYDAY was declared and an emergency descent made to 10,000 ft, after which the
flight then diverted to Manila, Philippines. None of the 369 occupants was injured.
 It was concluded that dep-ressurisation of the aircraft had resulted from the

sudden and forceful rupture of the fourth one of seven passenger emergency
oxygen cylinders located along the right side of the aircraft’s forward cargo
hold.
 The rupture created a hole of approximately 1.5 m x 2.0 m 

 The cylinder had then first hit the frame and handle of the R2 door and then the
overhead cabin panelling, before dropping back down and through the cabin
floor hole
AMTP 329 BANAYBANAY,BANSIL,ROSARIO

 Ambient of approximately 12.5 psi lost pressure to reach an estimated

minimum differential of 5.25 psi over less than half a minute.
 triggered the emergency supplemental oxygen system and deployment of
passenger oxygen masks. 
 descent to 10,000 ft, 7 minutes after the cylinder rupture.

Based on evidence 

 While it was considered that the cylinder may have been defective, flawed from
manufacture or damaged in a way that promoted failure, 
 No evidence was found that would suggest that the procedures documented for
the handling, maintenance and operation of the cylinder might have contributed
to the risk of its failure and there was no record of the failed cylinder or its
related systems sustaining any relevant prior damage.
AMTP 329 BANAYBANAY,BANSIL,ROSARIO

 it was deduced that the vertically stowed cylinder had failed by bursting
through or around its base, where the calculated stress within the fully charged
1850 psi cylinder would routinely have been at its highest, as illustrated by the
diagram

 Overall, the testing and research conducted as part of the investigation was
considered to have demonstrated that the cylinder type involved was of “an
inherently robust and damage-tolerant design”.

The flight crew were judged

 “well-managed and appropriate emergency response” 
 minimised the risks associated with the depressurisation and the remainder of
the flight.
 noted that following the depressurisation, various aircraft equipment had been
inoperative, including one of the VORs, all three Instrument Landing System
(ILS) systems and the left hand FMC.
AMTP 329 BANAYBANAY,BANSIL,ROSARIO