A B734 crew exceeded 250 KTS below 10000 ft while performing the cabin pressure loss checklist.

Attributes
ACN	520081
Time
Date	200108
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdl.airport
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	520081
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin alt warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Normal preflight, start, taxi and takeoff from boston logan. Passing FL230, cabin altitude aural warning sounded indicating cabin altitude above 10000 ft. Flight crew donned oxygen masks, initiated descent and completed excessive cabin altitude checklist. When automatic system fails it is designed to automatically switch to standby system, but didn't, flight crew was able to regain control through manual control procedure. Continued flight to destination at 9000 ft. First officer was PF, captain was coordinating with ATC, cabin crew and company. Flew at 290 KIAS below 10000 ft for approximately 3-4 mins before correcting back to 250 KIAS. Remainder of flight was uneventful. Reason for speed exceedance below 10000 ft was workload. At the time we descended below 10000 ft the flight was transitioning from ZBW to bdl approach to new york approach while being vectored through several altitude changes. This was compounded by having to complete checklists, coordinate with various agencies and cabin crew. The situation could have easily gotten out of hand, but the checklists, procedures and training kept us focused.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B734 CREW EXCEEDED 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT WHILE PERFORMING THE CABIN PRESSURE LOSS CHKLIST.

Narrative: NORMAL PREFLT, START, TAXI AND TKOF FROM BOSTON LOGAN. PASSING FL230, CABIN ALT AURAL WARNING SOUNDED INDICATING CABIN ALT ABOVE 10000 FT. FLC DONNED OXYGEN MASKS, INITIATED DSCNT AND COMPLETED EXCESSIVE CABIN ALT CHKLIST. WHEN AUTO SYS FAILS IT IS DESIGNED TO AUTOMATICALLY SWITCH TO STANDBY SYS, BUT DIDN'T, FLC WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CTL THROUGH MANUAL CTL PROC. CONTINUED FLT TO DEST AT 9000 FT. FO WAS PF, CAPT WAS COORDINATING WITH ATC, CABIN CREW AND COMPANY. FLEW AT 290 KIAS BELOW 10000 FT FOR APPROX 3-4 MINS BEFORE CORRECTING BACK TO 250 KIAS. REMAINDER OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. REASON FOR SPD EXCEEDANCE BELOW 10000 FT WAS WORKLOAD. AT THE TIME WE DSNDED BELOW 10000 FT THE FLT WAS TRANSITIONING FROM ZBW TO BDL APCH TO NEW YORK APCH WHILE BEING VECTORED THROUGH SEVERAL ALT CHANGES. THIS WAS COMPOUNDED BY HAVING TO COMPLETE CHKLISTS, COORDINATE WITH VARIOUS AGENCIES AND CABIN CREW. THE SIT COULD HAVE EASILY GOTTEN OUT OF HAND, BUT THE CHKLISTS, PROCS AND TRAINING KEPT US FOCUSED.

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.