The chattering of alarms in the cockpit grabbed my attention. The Cessna CJ2 had just blasted through 12,000 feet, and now 14,000 feet, after takeoff from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, for our short flight to San Luis Obispo. I checked the annunciator panel and noticed the Cabin Alt red light was illuminated. I also looked at the pressurization gauge and noticed it was above 10,000 feet. I actually started to feel the altitude change myself, so I quickly donned my oxygen mask and told my 12-year-old daughter in the copilot seat to do the same. My wife, who was sitting in the rear seat, copilot side, saw me do this and started to grow concerned — well, she freaked out, really. My 17-year-old daughter was in the rear-facing, pilot-side seat and didn’t seem fazed at all.
Oxygen Issue in a Cessna CJ2
Key Takeaways:
- A pilot and family experienced a cabin pressurization failure during flight, requiring emergency procedures and a descent, due to the aircraft's air-source controller being in the "Off" position.
- The cause was a maintenance oversight; the shop had turned the controller off for an engine wash and neglected to reset it to "Both" before returning the aircraft.
- The incident underscored the critical importance of conducting a meticulous, line-by-line preflight inspection, including the interior, after any maintenance has been performed on an aircraft.
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