Narrative:

We were cleared to climb and maintain FL190. Climbing through 10500 ft MSL we had a loss of cabin pressure; declared an emergency and had to return to 10000 ft MSL. The controller cleared us to maintain 10000 ft. We asked the controller if we could orbit in our present position and he said 'ok.' upon starting a l-hand turn; he asked us if we were going back to the airport. We said negative; we are orbiting. He told us to fly heading 180 degrees for traffic. The controller then gave us radar vectors until pressurization problem was fixed and were able to continue our flight. After the problem was fixed the controller said he had to file a safety report and gave us a number to call. I believe the use of nonstandard terminology by both the air crew and the controller may have caused this situation. Instead of asking to orbit; we should have asked for holding instructions or asked the controller which way he wanted us to fly. When the controller said 'ok' we should have asked for clarification (ie; 'affirmative' or 'negative'). The controller should not have used the work 'ok;' as this gave us the impression we were approved to maneuver as requested.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C130J FLT CREW HAS PRESSURIZATION PROB DURING CLB; DECLARES EMER AND WHILE IN ORBIT HAS A CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL190. CLBING THROUGH 10500 FT MSL WE HAD A LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE; DECLARED AN EMER AND HAD TO RETURN TO 10000 FT MSL. THE CTLR CLRED US TO MAINTAIN 10000 FT. WE ASKED THE CTLR IF WE COULD ORBIT IN OUR PRESENT POS AND HE SAID 'OK.' UPON STARTING A L-HAND TURN; HE ASKED US IF WE WERE GOING BACK TO THE ARPT. WE SAID NEGATIVE; WE ARE ORBITING. HE TOLD US TO FLY HDG 180 DEGS FOR TFC. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US RADAR VECTORS UNTIL PRESSURIZATION PROB WAS FIXED AND WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE OUR FLT. AFTER THE PROB WAS FIXED THE CTLR SAID HE HAD TO FILE A SAFETY RPT AND GAVE US A NUMBER TO CALL. I BELIEVE THE USE OF NONSTANDARD TERMINOLOGY BY BOTH THE AIR CREW AND THE CTLR MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS SIT. INSTEAD OF ASKING TO ORBIT; WE SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS OR ASKED THE CTLR WHICH WAY HE WANTED US TO FLY. WHEN THE CTLR SAID 'OK' WE SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION (IE; 'AFFIRMATIVE' OR 'NEGATIVE'). THE CTLR SHOULD NOT HAVE USED THE WORK 'OK;' AS THIS GAVE US THE IMPRESSION WE WERE APPROVED TO MANEUVER AS REQUESTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.