A MD80's amber flow light illuminated at FL280. The QRH procedure did not stop the cabin from climbi...

Attributes
ACN	881035
Time
Date	201003
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Air Conditioning and Pressurization Pack
Person 1
Function	Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 135 Flight Crew Total 21600 Flight Crew Type 2637
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical

Narrative:

After leveling off at the cruise altitude of 28;000 feet; the amber flow light illuminated on the pressurization panel. The first officer performed the flow light illuminated checklist. The checklist did not extinguish the flow light; so we requested a lower altitude. During descent; the cabin altitude was still climbing; and it became apparent that we could not control the cabin altitude. We donned our oxygen mask and requested a descent to 10;000 feet. As we were descending; the cabin altitude reached 14;000 feet; and the passenger oxygen mask deployed. We descended to 10;000 feet and continued to destination. Both of the air conditioning packs were not producing enough air to support cabin pressurization.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MD80's amber flow light illuminated at FL280. The QRH procedure did not stop the cabin from climbing; so an emergency descent to 10;000 feet was begun. The cabin exceeded 14;000 feet and the oxygen masks dropped.

Narrative: After leveling off at the cruise altitude of 28;000 feet; the amber flow light illuminated on the pressurization panel. The First Officer performed the flow light illuminated checklist. The checklist did not extinguish the flow light; so we requested a lower altitude. During descent; the cabin altitude was still climbing; and it became apparent that we could not control the cabin altitude. We donned our oxygen mask and requested a descent to 10;000 feet. As we were descending; the cabin altitude reached 14;000 feet; and the passenger oxygen mask deployed. We descended to 10;000 feet and continued to destination. Both of the air conditioning packs were not producing enough air to support cabin pressurization.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.