MD88 crew lost cabin pressurization control and made an emergency descent.

Attributes
ACN	534473
Time
Date	200201
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orf.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
ASRS Report	534473
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin pressurization warning and altimeter other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On jan/xa/02, I was dispatching a flight. I received a radio call from the captain advising he was unable to hold pressurization and that he had gone down to 10000 ft and that the masks had come down in the passenger cabin. I got maintenance on with us and after resetting switches that maintenance suggested he was able to get pressurization back. The captain advised he would go back up to FL220 and I said 'ok, let's treat it as 1 pack inoperative.' I advised my manager of the situation and he asked if the passenger had used the oxygen masks. I didn't know, so I sent an ACARS to the flight asking the captain. He advised yes. We then immediately took action and the flight was diverted to atl and the aircraft was changed to another and then continued on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 CREW LOST CABIN PRESSURIZATION CTL AND MADE AN EMER DSCNT.

Narrative: ON JAN/XA/02, I WAS DISPATCHING A FLT. I RECEIVED A RADIO CALL FROM THE CAPT ADVISING HE WAS UNABLE TO HOLD PRESSURIZATION AND THAT HE HAD GONE DOWN TO 10000 FT AND THAT THE MASKS HAD COME DOWN IN THE PAX CABIN. I GOT MAINT ON WITH US AND AFTER RESETTING SWITCHES THAT MAINT SUGGESTED HE WAS ABLE TO GET PRESSURIZATION BACK. THE CAPT ADVISED HE WOULD GO BACK UP TO FL220 AND I SAID 'OK, LET'S TREAT IT AS 1 PACK INOP.' I ADVISED MY MGR OF THE SIT AND HE ASKED IF THE PAX HAD USED THE OXYGEN MASKS. I DIDN'T KNOW, SO I SENT AN ACARS TO THE FLT ASKING THE CAPT. HE ADVISED YES. WE THEN IMMEDIATELY TOOK ACTION AND THE FLT WAS DIVERTED TO ATL AND THE ACFT WAS CHANGED TO ANOTHER AND THEN CONTINUED ON.

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.