A319
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft; Human Factors
Initial climb through FL180 normal and uneventful.   While climbing through FL220 we received an ECAM message DOORS (AFT) CARGO.  Noted cabin altitude approximately 3850 with V/S 0 to 100 FPM.  I stated; 'I have control  and ATC; ECAM actions go to the COM (there are no ECAM Actions)'  then noted the First Officer already had the COM  open and complete to line item:  In flight:  No crew action required as long as cabin pressure is normal.  >If ABN CAB V/S:  MAX FL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100/MEA I observed at this time the cabin climb rate had increased from 0 FPM to 350 FPM then to 500 FPM. I reduced the climb rate; and conferred with the First Officer that the jump from 0 FPM to 350 FPM to 500 FPM cabin climb at FL230 within this short period of time may be abnormal (in conjunction with the cargo door open annunciation).    After careful analysis of our systems displays; ECAM Warnings; location; altitude; climb rate; and flight plan I asked:  'Do you agree it's possible; although not probable; we may actually have a cargo door not secure?'  To which he replied to the affirmative.   We both understood it might just be a loose cannon plug and indication issue.  We considered diverging from the checklist to level off while continuing on course to see if the cabin stabilized but the cabin continued to climb.   We considered the possibility the pressurization might temporarily stabilize and then fail completely at maximum differential pressure while en-route at FL370 if in the rare event the cargo door was not secure.    We determined that with all the available information we had at that moment in time; including abnormal ECAM warnings; Systems Displays of Cabin Climb; and immanent FIR crossing to long overwater legs; the most prudent course of action was air return.   I transferred communications to him asking him to request descent to 10;000 FT; declare an emergency; prepare to execute an emergency descent; and ask for a vector to return.  We immediately executed the emergency descent procedure; including the (new) statement 'Attention; take the first available seat and prepare to put on your oxygen mask.'  We completed all checklists; briefed the flight attendants (TESTS); briefed the passengers; all while the First Officer conducted Landing Distance calculations; and completed Overweight Landing procedures for the longest runway.   At the gate we were met by Contract Mechanic. He looked at our ECAM with DOORS (AFT) CARGO open still enunciated; said 'Your cargo door's open'; then he went out and aft.  We communicated the message to Contract Maintenance to not open the door until Company Maintenance arrived. It became apparent the door would need to be opened as the customer baggage needed to coordinate for ground transport.  Due to the cargo door being opened to accommodate customer bags it was impossible to ascertain if a bag had fallen on or been shut in the cargo door causing a breach in the door seal.  It does not appear the Contract Maintenance actions were documented completely. It does appear Company Maintenance inspected; cleared and documented the open item in the logbook without any necessary repairs to canon plugs or jammed latching mechanisms.
Climbing south through FL220 we received an ECAM for AFT CARGO DOOR. We immediately leveled off. Captain stated he had controls and ATC; and I had the COM [Crew Operating Manual] out and open to the page in seconds. It stated if abnormal VS indication... since now we were level and cabin was still climbing and as we discussed it briefly during that quick conversation it went from 250 then to 500 and we had already leveled off we took this as the COM indication and preceded to the next step. Which stated Max altitude 10;000 from there we donned oxygen masks the Captain communicated a quick TEST to the crew then made an announcement over the PA meanwhile I asked for lower and declared an emergency with Center. A quick scan showed us overweight and closer to ZZZ; we both agreed that overweight landing in ZZZ would be much better for overweight condition combined with this emergency and since the wheels were still slightly warm from taxi the longer runway was highly favored. Reviewed the emergency descent during descent; and then built the flight plan to ZZZ; and entered performance data from ATIS; admittedly with much difficulty as it was almost impossible to see with the sun glare on my FMS combined with the O2 mask making its own strange glare. Even with both hands covering the FMS screen I couldn't really make out what I was typing. This simple process took me most of the descent. Once we were at a safe altitude I removed the O2 Mask and ran the Overweight Checklist and landing data and approach check in detail to the Captain. Once all the procedures; COMS; and flight data had been addressed and entered I contacted OPS in ZZZ1 for a direct patch to Dispatch knowing that Maintenance Control would be monitoring; thus all 3 parties were notified at once I quickly told them we had declared an emergency the nature of the event; overweight situation and landing ZZZ. They said okay and would coordinate with us via ACARS. I returned in time to assist the Captain prior to vectors to final approach. All of this took place in about 12 minutes. Landing was normal and smooth well within limitations; fire trucks assessed aircraft Cargo door and brakes all was normal so we continued taxi to a holding spot and awaited instructions from Dispatch. Airport OPS assigned us a gate and we followed the truck to parking. In my opinion CRM was great. We were rushed due to the nature of events and proximity of ZZZ; but not so rushed that anyone's concerns or advice was ignored. Unfortunately neither of us are newcomers to emergencies; but since we have had multiple emergencies in our past those past experiences help for a smooth transition back to ZZZ and allowed so many things to be accomplished in only 12 minutes.
A319 flight crew experiences an ECAM for AFT CARGO DOOR climbing through FL220. The crew determines that the pressurization may be abnormal and elects to don oxygen masks and perform an emergency descent. Flight diverts to the nearest suitable airport for an overweight landing.