Large transport aircraft has left pac fail at altitude.

Attributes
ACN	316678
Time
Date	199508
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gdt
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
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 : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	316678
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft left pac failed, would not reset as per checklist. Started to lose cabin slowly. Began descent level at FL240 would not hold. 19000 ft would not hold. Started down again when cabin climbed rapidly. Passing 15000 ft MSL masks dropped. Descended to 10000 ft then to 8000 ft. Oxygen masks were on maybe 1 min before reset. First officer although meaning well was at times distracting from what flight engineer and myself were trying to do. In future I will tell first officer to fly and talk to ATC and please be good enough to keep quiet. Otherwise will ask his opinion when we are ready for it. First officer meant well but tended to run over us with his 'ideas' and suggestions. The safe outcome was never in question. Only some passenger were scared and went to hospital.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ACFT HAS L PAC FAIL AT ALT.

Narrative: ACFT L PAC FAILED, WOULD NOT RESET AS PER CHKLIST. STARTED TO LOSE CABIN SLOWLY. BEGAN DSCNT LEVEL AT FL240 WOULD NOT HOLD. 19000 FT WOULD NOT HOLD. STARTED DOWN AGAIN WHEN CABIN CLBED RAPIDLY. PASSING 15000 FT MSL MASKS DROPPED. DSNDED TO 10000 FT THEN TO 8000 FT. OXYGEN MASKS WERE ON MAYBE 1 MIN BEFORE RESET. FO ALTHOUGH MEANING WELL WAS AT TIMES DISTRACTING FROM WHAT FE AND MYSELF WERE TRYING TO DO. IN FUTURE I WILL TELL FO TO FLY AND TALK TO ATC AND PLEASE BE GOOD ENOUGH TO KEEP QUIET. OTHERWISE WILL ASK HIS OPINION WHEN WE ARE READY FOR IT. FO MEANT WELL BUT TENDED TO RUN OVER US WITH HIS 'IDEAS' AND SUGGESTIONS. THE SAFE OUTCOME WAS NEVER IN QUESTION. ONLY SOME PAX WERE SCARED AND WENT TO HOSPITAL.

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.