Narrative:

Level at FL290 approximately 30 mi southwest of mci cabin began to climb at 1500 FPM. Attempted to switch automatic controllers without success. Initiated emergency descent to 15000 ft. Passing through 21000 ft the cabin altitude was seen to be descending. After leveling off at 15000 ft we could confirm that we could control the cabin in manual mode. We opted to climb to 23000 ft so we could confer with company. This we did with the cabin still descending. At 23000 ft we returned the cabin control to automatic and it worked normally. After conferring with dispatch we opted to continue to stl at 23000 ft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the cause of the automatic pressurization and the standby system simultaneous failure is still being investigated. The reporter said no information has been released by maintenance. The reporter stated it may be a fleet problem but can give no details.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 IN CRUISE AT FL290 MADE AN EMER DSCNT DUE TO LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE. CAUSED BY PRESSURIZATION SYS AUTO AND STANDBY FAILURE.

Narrative: LEVEL AT FL290 APPROX 30 MI SW OF MCI CABIN BEGAN TO CLB AT 1500 FPM. ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH AUTO CTLRS WITHOUT SUCCESS. INITIATED EMER DSCNT TO 15000 FT. PASSING THROUGH 21000 FT THE CABIN ALT WAS SEEN TO BE DSNDING. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 15000 FT WE COULD CONFIRM THAT WE COULD CTL THE CABIN IN MANUAL MODE. WE OPTED TO CLB TO 23000 FT SO WE COULD CONFER WITH COMPANY. THIS WE DID WITH THE CABIN STILL DSNDING. AT 23000 FT WE RETURNED THE CABIN CTL TO AUTO AND IT WORKED NORMALLY. AFTER CONFERRING WITH DISPATCH WE OPTED TO CONTINUE TO STL AT 23000 FT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE CAUSE OF THE AUTO PRESSURIZATION AND THE STANDBY SYS SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE IS STILL BEING INVESTIGATED. THE RPTR SAID NO INFO HAS BEEN RELEASED BY MAINT. THE RPTR STATED IT MAY BE A FLEET PROB BUT CAN GIVE NO DETAILS.

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.