MD80 captain laments not declaring an emergency when cabin pressurization problem presents itself.

Attributes
ACN	791517
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
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
ASRS Report	791517
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Request for lower and nature of problem relayed to ATC but in hindsight should have been a declaration of emergency because intermediate leveloff until we got the cabin under control was not a good option. Controller gave initial clearance to FL300 then FL250. I was busy flying and diagnosing and didn't get this relayed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CAPT LAMENTS NOT DECLARING AN EMERGENCY WHEN CABIN PRESSURIZATION PROBLEM PRESENTS ITSELF.

Narrative: REQUEST FOR LOWER AND NATURE OF PROB RELAYED TO ATC BUT IN HINDSIGHT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DECLARATION OF EMER BECAUSE INTERMEDIATE LEVELOFF UNTIL WE GOT THE CABIN UNDER CTL WAS NOT A GOOD OPTION. CTLR GAVE INITIAL CLRNC TO FL300 THEN FL250. I WAS BUSY FLYING AND DIAGNOSING AND DIDN'T GET THIS RELAYED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.