B737 flight crew lost cabin pressurization.

Attributes
ACN	462463
Time
Date	200002
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 11800 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	462463
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Air carrier flight abcd lax-sjc B737-300. Flight was descending from cruise altitude FL310 down to assigned FL240. Approximately 50 NM south of sns VOR, FL260 descending, I noted I felt a sharp pressure change in my ears. Pressurization control panel showed automatic fail and standby lights on. Cabin rate 4000 FPM descending and cabin altitude 15000 ft climbing. Qrc and checklists for rapid depressurization and emergency descent were completed. ATC cleared us to descend to FL180 and immediately after that down 10000 ft. Manual control was used through descent. At 10000 ft oxygen masks were removed. Passenger and flight attendants were notified about what happened. Passenger were seated -- the oxygen masks had deployed and were in use. Flight attendant told us everyone was ok and nobody needed medical assistance. Dispatch was notified. Approach and landing in sjc with equipment standing by was normal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC LOST CABIN PRESSURIZATION.

Narrative: ACR FLT ABCD LAX-SJC B737-300. FLT WAS DSNDING FROM CRUISE ALT FL310 DOWN TO ASSIGNED FL240. APPROX 50 NM S OF SNS VOR, FL260 DSNDING, I NOTED I FELT A SHARP PRESSURE CHANGE IN MY EARS. PRESSURIZATION CTL PANEL SHOWED AUTO FAIL AND STANDBY LIGHTS ON. CABIN RATE 4000 FPM DSNDING AND CABIN ALT 15000 FT CLBING. QRC AND CHKLISTS FOR RAPID DEPRESSURIZATION AND EMER DSCNT WERE COMPLETED. ATC CLRED US TO DSND TO FL180 AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT DOWN 10000 FT. MANUAL CTL WAS USED THROUGH DSCNT. AT 10000 FT OXYGEN MASKS WERE REMOVED. PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOTIFIED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. PAX WERE SEATED -- THE OXYGEN MASKS HAD DEPLOYED AND WERE IN USE. FLT ATTENDANT TOLD US EVERYONE WAS OK AND NOBODY NEEDED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED. APCH AND LNDG IN SJC WITH EQUIP STANDING BY WAS NORMAL.

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.