Narrative:

In cruise at FL310 a sudden explosive sound was heard after which cabin pressure was rapidly lost. We immediately donned oxygen masks, began execution of emergency procedure for cabin pressure loss/rapid descent. Emergency was declared with ZAU (7700 squawked, etc) and rapid descent was effected to 10000 ft. We were unable to reestablish cabin pressure until at lower altitudes and airspds, then only partially. After descending to 8000 ft we decided to fully depressurize rather than deal with pressure surges. Passenger masks were checked deployed, oxygen pressure was good, flight attendants checked in on oxygen. The descent took approximately 3 mins. Checklists were completed and the emergency was terminated shortly thereafter. Points of interest: coffee boils violently with cabin altitude of 20000 ft in coffee makers and could have splashed on flight attendants. Suspect blowout was at forward airstair seals. ATC was asking too many questions (though they were only a few) during the descent while we were busy doing checklists. At the time this was an irritant. Keeping ears clear during descent was difficult. No passenger or flight attendants had many complaints, but both pilots really felt it! Decompression was not rapid enough to cause fog in the cockpit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR MLG ACFT MADE AN EMER DSCNT AFTER LOSING ACFT CABIN PRESSURIZATION.

Narrative: IN CRUISE AT FL310 A SUDDEN EXPLOSIVE SOUND WAS HEARD AFTER WHICH CABIN PRESSURE WAS RAPIDLY LOST. WE IMMEDIATELY DONNED OXYGEN MASKS, BEGAN EXECUTION OF EMER PROC FOR CABIN PRESSURE LOSS/RAPID DSCNT. EMER WAS DECLARED WITH ZAU (7700 SQUAWKED, ETC) AND RAPID DSCNT WAS EFFECTED TO 10000 FT. WE WERE UNABLE TO REESTABLISH CABIN PRESSURE UNTIL AT LOWER ALTS AND AIRSPDS, THEN ONLY PARTIALLY. AFTER DSNDING TO 8000 FT WE DECIDED TO FULLY DEPRESSURIZE RATHER THAN DEAL WITH PRESSURE SURGES. PAX MASKS WERE CHKED DEPLOYED, OXYGEN PRESSURE WAS GOOD, FLT ATTENDANTS CHKED IN ON OXYGEN. THE DSCNT TOOK APPROX 3 MINS. CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED AND THE EMER WAS TERMINATED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. POINTS OF INTEREST: COFFEE BOILS VIOLENTLY WITH CABIN ALT OF 20000 FT IN COFFEE MAKERS AND COULD HAVE SPLASHED ON FLT ATTENDANTS. SUSPECT BLOWOUT WAS AT FORWARD AIRSTAIR SEALS. ATC WAS ASKING TOO MANY QUESTIONS (THOUGH THEY WERE ONLY A FEW) DURING THE DSCNT WHILE WE WERE BUSY DOING CHKLISTS. AT THE TIME THIS WAS AN IRRITANT. KEEPING EARS CLR DURING DSCNT WAS DIFFICULT. NO PAX OR FLT ATTENDANTS HAD MANY COMPLAINTS, BUT BOTH PLTS REALLY FELT IT! DECOMPRESSION WAS NOT RAPID ENOUGH TO CAUSE FOG IN THE COCKPIT.

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.