In climb at 10000 ft cabin altitude alert of non pressurization came on. Flight crew observed manual pressurization lever in manual, placed in automatic and cabin began to pressurize.

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Attributes
ACN	198405
Time
Date	199201
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord tower : jfk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 225
ASRS Report	198405
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 98 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 98
ASRS Report	198695
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Climbing through 10000 MSL the aircraft cabin altitude warning system activated. As the first officer troubleshot the malfunction I coordinated with ATC a level off at 10000 ft. We discovered the cabin altitude control lever out of its normal position of 'up.' there are 2 problems surrounding this occurrence -- training and design. Initial training excludes operating this system. The only time it would be used is for failure of the automatic system. Although all switches are moved during the course of training and later during actual preflts, this lever is never moved. Design is the other factor. Most switches are either placed in the 'on' or 'off', automatic or manual position. Not this one. Neither are there any indices which mark the required position of the lever. The difference between taking off depressurized is about 2 inches. Another design glitch brought to you by the same people who designed the only wing which requires deicing on a clear summer's day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN CLB AT 10000 FT CABIN ALT ALERT OF NON PRESSURIZATION CAME ON. FLC OBSERVED MANUAL PRESSURIZATION LEVER IN MANUAL, PLACED IN AUTO AND CABIN BEGAN TO PRESSURIZE.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH 10000 MSL THE ACFT CABIN ALT WARNING SYS ACTIVATED. AS THE FO TROUBLESHOT THE MALFUNCTION I COORDINATED WITH ATC A LEVEL OFF AT 10000 FT. WE DISCOVERED THE CABIN ALT CTL LEVER OUT OF ITS NORMAL POS OF 'UP.' THERE ARE 2 PROBLEMS SURROUNDING THIS OCCURRENCE -- TRAINING AND DESIGN. INITIAL TRAINING EXCLUDES OPERATING THIS SYS. THE ONLY TIME IT WOULD BE USED IS FOR FAILURE OF THE AUTOMATIC SYS. ALTHOUGH ALL SWITCHES ARE MOVED DURING THE COURSE OF TRAINING AND LATER DURING ACTUAL PREFLTS, THIS LEVER IS NEVER MOVED. DESIGN IS THE OTHER FACTOR. MOST SWITCHES ARE EITHER PLACED IN THE 'ON' OR 'OFF', AUTO OR MANUAL POS. NOT THIS ONE. NEITHER ARE THERE ANY INDICES WHICH MARK THE REQUIRED POS OF THE LEVER. THE DIFFERENCE BTWN TAKING OFF DEPRESSURIZED IS ABOUT 2 INCHES. ANOTHER DESIGN GLITCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SAME PEOPLE WHO DESIGNED THE ONLY WING WHICH REQUIRES DEICING ON A CLR SUMMER'S DAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.