B737-300 flight crew has loss of pressurization; declares emergency and descends.

Attributes
ACN	723903
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	723903
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 26 flight time total : 10400 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	729602
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : master warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

FL350 cabin altitude warning horn came on. Indicator read 10000 ft cabin altitude. Both packs were on. Mode selector was in norm. Contacted center; asked for immediate descent. Ran qrc for procedure. Declared emergency. On descent through approximately FL200; cabin pressure stabilized about 5000 ft cabin altitude. Leveled off at 17000 ft. Contacted dispatch and maintenance. After considering fuel burn; conditions; etc; decided to continue to ZZZ1. Flight attendants and passenger were kept informed. The descent from FL350 to 17000 ft was smooth and uneventful. Cabin altitude never exceeded approximately 10500 ft and passenger oxygen mask did not deploy. Landing was uneventful and no passenger/crew injuries or discomfort noted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW HAS LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION; DECLARES EMER AND DSNDS.

Narrative: FL350 CABIN ALT WARNING HORN CAME ON. INDICATOR READ 10000 FT CABIN ALT. BOTH PACKS WERE ON. MODE SELECTOR WAS IN NORM. CONTACTED CTR; ASKED FOR IMMEDIATE DSCNT. RAN QRC FOR PROC. DECLARED EMER. ON DSCNT THROUGH APPROX FL200; CABIN PRESSURE STABILIZED ABOUT 5000 FT CABIN ALT. LEVELED OFF AT 17000 FT. CONTACTED DISPATCH AND MAINT. AFTER CONSIDERING FUEL BURN; CONDITIONS; ETC; DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO ZZZ1. FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX WERE KEPT INFORMED. THE DSCNT FROM FL350 TO 17000 FT WAS SMOOTH AND UNEVENTFUL. CABIN ALT NEVER EXCEEDED APPROX 10500 FT AND PAX OXYGEN MASK DID NOT DEPLOY. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND NO PAX/CREW INJURIES OR DISCOMFORT NOTED.

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.