Slow loss of cabin pressure.

Attributes
ACN	478572
Time
Date	200007
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zkc.artcc
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	478572
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	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cab alt warning other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On a flight between cedar rapids and st louis, the cabin experienced a slow depressurization on the beginning of our descent into stl. At a cabin altitude of 10000 ft, we experienced a cabin altitude annunciator. We then declared an emergency, initiated the emergency procedure and descent, and received priority handling into stl with a slow descent below 10000 ft MSL. Cabin altitude only reached approximately 11500 ft, and ZKC did an excellent job with the handling into stl. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said that the primary pressure controller had a history of problems and was found to be the cause of this pressure loss.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SLOW LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE.

Narrative: ON A FLT BTWN CEDAR RAPIDS AND ST LOUIS, THE CABIN EXPERIENCED A SLOW DEPRESSURIZATION ON THE BEGINNING OF OUR DSCNT INTO STL. AT A CABIN ALT OF 10000 FT, WE EXPERIENCED A CABIN ALT ANNUNCIATOR. WE THEN DECLARED AN EMER, INITIATED THE EMER PROC AND DSCNT, AND RECEIVED PRIORITY HANDLING INTO STL WITH A SLOW DSCNT BELOW 10000 FT MSL. CABIN ALT ONLY REACHED APPROX 11500 FT, AND ZKC DID AN EXCELLENT JOB WITH THE HANDLING INTO STL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THAT THE PRIMARY PRESSURE CONTROLLER HAD A HISTORY OF PROBS AND WAS FOUND TO BE THE CAUSE OF THIS PRESSURE LOSS.

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.