A321
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Type 8
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft
I was flying an A321; relatively new. [During a] restroom break; I went to put the oxygen mask on; hose separated from mask; massive hissing and rapid oxygen pressure loss. Managed to stuff hose back into mask and stop leak. We considered diverting...but we had 1;600 PSI left; so continued (sent heads up Dispatch). Upon arrival; as soon as Mechanic touched it; it fell apart; losing oxygen very rapidly until I assisted him in tying a knot in hose.Very worrying implications: Had I gone to use adjacent mask in decompression or smoke event; the number 1 mask would have fallen apart and First Officer and Captain would rapidly have run out of oxygen. Possible crew incapacitation and hull loss scenario here. The mask looked fine otherwise. I believe the outdated FAA regulation to don modern quick-donning masks is putting undetectable wear and tear on Eros masks (no other country requires this anymore). Stuffing them back in the box repeatedly is not what they were designed for. In addition; many of the facemasks are getting scratched to the point that they would be difficult to see through in a real event. (In hindsight had I known the state of my [mask] in flight; I could have descended to 10;000 feet and diverted; and brought walk-around oxygen to the flight deck for smoke event possibility).Undetected wear and tear on mask/hose connection is due to FAA regulation requiring quick-donning masks to be repeatedly deployed beyond their design specifications. Review of requirement to don mask when single-pilot when a modern quick-donning mask is installed. The Eros-type masks were designed to negate this old requirement; and are not sturdy enough for repeated (1000's of times per year) extraction and re-stowing.
I believe the outdated FAA regulation to don modern quick-donning masks is putting unnecessary wear and tear on the Eros masks; (no other country requires this anymore). Pulling the oxygen mask out; wearing it; and stowing it; during each lavatory break is causing failures of the oxygen system; as we were subject to on this flight. Also; the facemasks are getting scratched during the removing and stowing of the oxygen masks for lavatory breaks; per the FAA regulations. Today; I am less confident in my oxygen system and having the ability of seeing through my smoke mask during a smoke event.
A321 flight crew reported an in-flight failure of the Captain's Oxygen mask.