B737-700
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 225
Troubleshooting; Workload; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Diverted; General Declared Emergency; General Release Refused / Aircraft Not Accepted
Aircraft; Chart Or Publication; Procedure
Climbing 36;000 FT [the] left bleed tripped off. 36;500 FT [we attempted a] trip reset per QRH. 37;000 FT [we resumed] normal operation. 38;000 FT left bleed trip off [and] trip reset per QRH. 38;000 FT [we resumed] normal operation. 38;000 FT left bleed trip off [and] trip reset per QRH. 38;000 FT light still illuminated. 38;000 FT left pack off per QRH. 38;000 FT right pack tripped off. 38;000 FT trip reset per QRH. 38;000 FT [again we resumed] normal operation. During this time frame; the Captain and I had and were discussing diversions; which airports were the closest suitable; and our comfort level with the issue that was taking place. 38;000 FT left bleed trip off. 38;000 FT started descent. 37;000 FT right pack trip off. 36;500 FT trip reset per QRH. 36;000 FT began emergency descent. [We] diverted to (the closest suitable airport considering our descent rate). 24;000 FT cabin altitude exceeded 14;000 FT. At 10;000 FT vectored to final for the runway. Landed uneventfully and proceeded to the gate. Through communicating with the flight attendants on the flight; we did know that the passenger oxygen masks had in fact deployed and that a POB was used. The crew was met at the gate by Station Maintenance; which took over the aircraft. It does not state in the QRH anything about starting a descent with the bleed trip off after turning the associated pack off. Maybe it should!
A B737-700 left bleed tripped four times climbing to FL380 and the pack was turned OFF. Shortly thereafter the right bleed tripped several times and finally with both bleeds OFF an emergency was declared and the flight diverted but not before the cabin exceeded 14;000 FT causing the masks to drop.