A B727 crew overcomes the temporary loss of cabin pressure control and starts an immediate descent without the approval of an over-burdened ATC controller on a departure from ord, il.

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Attributes
ACN	528294
Time
Date	200110
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	528294
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : alt warn horn other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Aircraft ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Passing FL240 on climb from ord we experienced loss of the automatic pressurization controller. On hearing the warning horn I noted the cabin altitude at approximately 10500 ft and the cabin vsi climbing. I asked so what happened, instructed him to switch the controller to standby, told the crew to don masks, had the first officer start a descent, and then I tried to contact center. Center frequency was jammed with xmissions due to cumulus nimbus in the area and calls for deviations. After my first 2 calls were blocked, I squawked 7700 when center called me, and I told him we were descending to 15000 ft. We received clearance to 15000 ft, regained control of the pressurization, then called center for a climb and continued to dca. First officer (PF) and so performed all procedures properly and expeditiously. Cabin emergency oxygen system was not activated. Center was most helpful in accommodating us once we were able to communicate our situation. There were no injuries and the cabin altitude exceeded 10000 ft for about 2 mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CREW OVERCOMES THE TEMPORARY LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE CTL AND STARTS AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF AN OVER-BURDENED ATC CTLR ON A DEP FROM ORD, IL.

Narrative: PASSING FL240 ON CLB FROM ORD WE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF THE AUTOMATIC PRESSURIZATION CTLR. ON HEARING THE WARNING HORN I NOTED THE CABIN ALT AT APPROX 10500 FT AND THE CABIN VSI CLBING. I ASKED SO WHAT HAPPENED, INSTRUCTED HIM TO SWITCH THE CTLR TO STANDBY, TOLD THE CREW TO DON MASKS, HAD THE FO START A DSCNT, AND THEN I TRIED TO CONTACT CTR. CTR FREQ WAS JAMMED WITH XMISSIONS DUE TO CUMULUS NIMBUS IN THE AREA AND CALLS FOR DEVS. AFTER MY FIRST 2 CALLS WERE BLOCKED, I SQUAWKED 7700 WHEN CTR CALLED ME, AND I TOLD HIM WE WERE DSNDING TO 15000 FT. WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO 15000 FT, REGAINED CTL OF THE PRESSURIZATION, THEN CALLED CTR FOR A CLB AND CONTINUED TO DCA. FO (PF) AND SO PERFORMED ALL PROCS PROPERLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY. CABIN EMER OXYGEN SYS WAS NOT ACTIVATED. CTR WAS MOST HELPFUL IN ACCOMMODATING US ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE OUR SIT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE CABIN ALT EXCEEDED 10000 FT FOR ABOUT 2 MINS.

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.