Following the loss of cabin pressurization a B757 flight crew initiated an emergency descent; declar...

Attributes
ACN	1102908
Time
Date	201307
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	FO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Pressurization System
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 201 Flight Crew Total 16389 Flight Crew Type 6478
Person 2
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 210 Flight Crew Total 13210 Flight Crew Type 330
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical

Narrative:

At cruise flight about an hour from coast out the first officer and I were attempting to correct an excessive and chronic cabin heating problem when we lost control of the cabin pressure. The cabin altitude began a two thousand FPM climb which we could not arrest. We donned oxygen masks and accomplished the cabin altitude/emergency descent checklist. We requested and received clearance to descend to 10;000 ft. While in the descent the cabin altitude reached approximately 13;000 ft. After leveling off we were able to pressurize the cabin to about 2;000 ft and made the decision to return to our departure airport. The cabin altitude was above 10;000 ft for only a few minutes and the passenger oxygen masks never deployed. We decided to land overweight due no dump capability and another hour aloft was needed to burn down to maximum landing weight. Lead flight attendant did not report any anomalies in the cabin and no passenger issues. After landing and debriefing maintenance; we discovered the aircraft had had a pressurization problem four days earlier.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Following the loss of cabin pressurization a B757 flight crew initiated an emergency descent; declared and emergency and returned to their departure airport.

Narrative: At cruise flight about an hour from coast out the First Officer and I were attempting to correct an excessive and chronic cabin heating problem when we lost control of the cabin pressure. The cabin altitude began a two thousand FPM climb which we could not arrest. We donned oxygen masks and accomplished the CABIN ALTITUDE/EMERGENCY DESCENT checklist. We requested and received clearance to descend to 10;000 FT. While in the descent the cabin altitude reached approximately 13;000 FT. After leveling off we were able to pressurize the cabin to about 2;000 FT and made the decision to return to our departure airport. The cabin altitude was above 10;000 FT for only a few minutes and the passenger oxygen masks never deployed. We decided to land overweight due no dump capability and another hour aloft was needed to burn down to maximum landing weight. Lead Flight Attendant did not report any anomalies in the cabin and no passenger issues. After landing and debriefing Maintenance; we discovered the aircraft had had a pressurization problem four days earlier.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.