Air carrier loss of cabin pressure creates need for rapid descent.

Attributes
ACN	270329
Time
Date	199405
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pie
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 16600 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	270329
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While cruising at FL290, cabin rate of climb pegged. I told first officer to request descent. Called ZJX. No answer. Called again a few seconds later, ZJX responded. We said we had pressurization problem and requested immediate descent. ZJX rogered it. We then said we were leaving FL290 and started down. ZJX came back and asked desired altitude. We said 10000 ft. They said they could only clear us to 13000 ft. We accepted. Going through FL220, we regained control of pressurization and requested level off at FL210. It was approved. Rest of flight was uneventful. We are some what concerned because we told ZJX we were leaving FL290 without declaring emergency or clearance. ZJX did not ask us if we were declaring an emergency or ask us to declare an emergency. The pressurization control was regained by selecting manual control of outflow valves.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE CREATES NEED FOR RAPID DSCNT.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL290, CABIN RATE OF CLB PEGGED. I TOLD FO TO REQUEST DSCNT. CALLED ZJX. NO ANSWER. CALLED AGAIN A FEW SECONDS LATER, ZJX RESPONDED. WE SAID WE HAD PRESSURIZATION PROB AND REQUESTED IMMEDIATE DSCNT. ZJX ROGERED IT. WE THEN SAID WE WERE LEAVING FL290 AND STARTED DOWN. ZJX CAME BACK AND ASKED DESIRED ALT. WE SAID 10000 FT. THEY SAID THEY COULD ONLY CLR US TO 13000 FT. WE ACCEPTED. GOING THROUGH FL220, WE REGAINED CTL OF PRESSURIZATION AND REQUESTED LEVEL OFF AT FL210. IT WAS APPROVED. REST OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE ARE SOME WHAT CONCERNED BECAUSE WE TOLD ZJX WE WERE LEAVING FL290 WITHOUT DECLARING EMER OR CLRNC. ZJX DID NOT ASK US IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER OR ASK US TO DECLARE AN EMER. THE PRESSURIZATION CTL WAS REGAINED BY SELECTING MANUAL CTL OF OUTFLOW VALVES.

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.