Narrative:

Aircraft was on an MEL for #1 bleed turned off. Procedure to fly below FL250; single pack; isolation valve closed. First leg aircraft operated normally. During second leg at FL240 with cruise power; pressure warning horn sounded. I was the pilot monitoring and told ATC we needed lower and began putting on my mask. I also ensured the first officer was doing the same. Center stated new squawk and expect descent momentarily. I was finishing putting on my mask and stated; 'we need lower now; pressurization.' we were given 14000 ft and began our descent. I was using the QRH as the first officer was flying while I attempted to regain pressurization. The cabin altitude reached 15000 ft and I heard the flight attendants informing the passenger about use of their masks. I was unable to regain cabin pressure and requested 10000 ft. We leveled off at 10000 ft and finished the loss of cabin pressure and rapid descent checklists. I removed our masks and talked to the flight attendants; passenger; and contacted dispatch. All passenger were ok; so I elected to continue. I did not declare an emergency nor did I deviate from any assigned altitudes. Center did ask for sob; fuel; and intentions; and I elected to terminate the emergency. Recovery was normal. I should have declared an emergency to prevent any confusion; and been quicker notifying the flight attendants.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 THAT WAS DISPATCHED WITH ONE BLEED INOP EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE. THE FLT CREW EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT AND CONTINUED TO DESTINATION WITHOUT DECLARING AN EMERGENCY WITH ATC.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON AN MEL FOR #1 BLEED TURNED OFF. PROC TO FLY BELOW FL250; SINGLE PACK; ISOLATION VALVE CLOSED. FIRST LEG ACFT OPERATED NORMALLY. DURING SECOND LEG AT FL240 WITH CRUISE PWR; PRESSURE WARNING HORN SOUNDED. I WAS THE PLT MONITORING AND TOLD ATC WE NEEDED LOWER AND BEGAN PUTTING ON MY MASK. I ALSO ENSURED THE FO WAS DOING THE SAME. CTR STATED NEW SQUAWK AND EXPECT DSCNT MOMENTARILY. I WAS FINISHING PUTTING ON MY MASK AND STATED; 'WE NEED LOWER NOW; PRESSURIZATION.' WE WERE GIVEN 14000 FT AND BEGAN OUR DSCNT. I WAS USING THE QRH AS THE FO WAS FLYING WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN PRESSURIZATION. THE CABIN ALT REACHED 15000 FT AND I HEARD THE FLT ATTENDANTS INFORMING THE PAX ABOUT USE OF THEIR MASKS. I WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CABIN PRESSURE AND REQUESTED 10000 FT. WE LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT AND FINISHED THE LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE AND RAPID DSCNT CHKLISTS. I REMOVED OUR MASKS AND TALKED TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS; PAX; AND CONTACTED DISPATCH. ALL PAX WERE OK; SO I ELECTED TO CONTINUE. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER NOR DID I DEVIATE FROM ANY ASSIGNED ALTS. CTR DID ASK FOR SOB; FUEL; AND INTENTIONS; AND I ELECTED TO TERMINATE THE EMER. RECOVERY WAS NORMAL. I SHOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER TO PREVENT ANY CONFUSION; AND BEEN QUICKER NOTIFYING THE FLT ATTENDANTS.

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.