An MD80 crew, 100 NM from destination, experienced a loss of cabin pressure, spawning an emergency d...

Attributes
ACN	541849
Time
Date	200203
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sea.vortac
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Snow Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 255 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4900
ASRS Report	541849
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event other inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cab alt indicator cab rate of clb press sys flow light illum. other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On mar/xa/02, I was the first officer of a flight en route from geg to sea. During cruise, we were assigned a pilot's discretion descent from FL280 to FL240. I was scanning the overhead panel and discovered that the automatic pressurization controllers had both failed. Our cabin rate of climb indicated maximum rate of climb. Pressurization system flow light was illuminated. The captain and I completed the memory items for loss of cabin pressurization. Contacted center and requested lower. Center advised us to stand by. We arrested the cabin altitude at 7500 ft MSL, but were not sure of our problem and wanted a lower altitude as soon as possible. We declared an emergency and descended to 10000 ft MSL. We completed 'loss of cabin pressurization,' 'automatic inoperative,' and 'manual pressurization' checklists. The flight attendants reported several passenger were experiencing pain and discomfort. So we requested emt assistance at the gate. No injuries reported to us by emt's following normal landing/taxi in to gate. During briefing by maintenance personnel, they report that the aircraft had reported maintenance history of cabin pressurization problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW, 100 NM FROM DEST, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE, SPAWNING AN EMER DSCNT TO 10000 FT.

Narrative: ON MAR/XA/02, I WAS THE FO OF A FLT ENRTE FROM GEG TO SEA. DURING CRUISE, WE WERE ASSIGNED A PLT'S DISCRETION DSCNT FROM FL280 TO FL240. I WAS SCANNING THE OVERHEAD PANEL AND DISCOVERED THAT THE AUTO PRESSURIZATION CONTROLLERS HAD BOTH FAILED. OUR CABIN RATE OF CLB INDICATED MAX RATE OF CLB. PRESSURIZATION SYS FLOW LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CAPT AND I COMPLETED THE MEMORY ITEMS FOR LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURIZATION. CONTACTED CTR AND REQUESTED LOWER. CTR ADVISED US TO STAND BY. WE ARRESTED THE CABIN ALT AT 7500 FT MSL, BUT WERE NOT SURE OF OUR PROB AND WANTED A LOWER ALT ASAP. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND DSNDED TO 10000 FT MSL. WE COMPLETED 'LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURIZATION,' 'AUTO INOP,' AND 'MANUAL PRESSURIZATION' CHKLISTS. THE FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED SEVERAL PAX WERE EXPERIENCING PAIN AND DISCOMFORT. SO WE REQUESTED EMT ASSISTANCE AT THE GATE. NO INJURIES RPTED TO US BY EMT'S FOLLOWING NORMAL LNDG/TAXI IN TO GATE. DURING BRIEFING BY MAINT PERSONNEL, THEY RPT THAT THE ACFT HAD RPTED MAINT HISTORY OF CABIN PRESSURIZATION PROBS.

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.

An MD80 crew, 100 NM from destination, experienced a loss of cabin pressure, spawning an emergency descent to 10000 ft.