Narrative:

We departed mlb at XA19 local. Passing 26000' during climb we heard a vibration as if something was flapping against the side of the aircraft. Shortly after that the cabin rate of climb indicator was pegged at 6000 FPM rate of climb. We were unable to control the pressure, so we put on the O2 masks--ran the depressurization checklist, declared an emergency, and requested vectors for jacksonville. We requested the emergency equipment to standby for our arrival. We made an uneventful landing at jacksonville airport at XB20 and requested that the medical team meet us at the gate. One woman was hospitalized that had a previous heart condition. The cause of the pressure problem appears to be the bottom of the forward cargo door seal that came off. Jacksonville center, approach control and tower all did an excellent job of handling this problem. Supplemental information from acn 99815: heard a rumpling noise. Thinking it was a possible nose gear door hanging cycled gear handle from 'off' to 'up', then back to the 'off' position with no noticeable change of noise. Unable to control cabin. Accomplished emergency descent/rapid decompression checklist, declared an emergency and landed uneventfully. To prevent a recurrence, the ground agent could visually inspect all exterior doors (cargo, service) for security prior to pushing back the airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE. EMERGENCY DESCENT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED MLB AT XA19 LCL. PASSING 26000' DURING CLB WE HEARD A VIBRATION AS IF SOMETHING WAS FLAPPING AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE ACFT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE CABIN RATE OF CLB INDICATOR WAS PEGGED AT 6000 FPM RATE OF CLB. WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTROL THE PRESSURE, SO WE PUT ON THE O2 MASKS--RAN THE DEPRESSURIZATION CHKLIST, DECLARED AN EMER, AND REQUESTED VECTORS FOR JACKSONVILLE. WE REQUESTED THE EMER EQUIP TO STANDBY FOR OUR ARR. WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT JACKSONVILLE ARPT AT XB20 AND REQUESTED THAT THE MEDICAL TEAM MEET US AT THE GATE. ONE WOMAN WAS HOSPITALIZED THAT HAD A PREVIOUS HEART CONDITION. THE CAUSE OF THE PRESSURE PROB APPEARS TO BE THE BOTTOM OF THE FORWARD CARGO DOOR SEAL THAT CAME OFF. JACKSONVILLE CENTER, APCH CTL AND TWR ALL DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF HANDLING THIS PROB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 99815: HEARD A RUMPLING NOISE. THINKING IT WAS A POSSIBLE NOSE GEAR DOOR HANGING CYCLED GEAR HANDLE FROM 'OFF' TO 'UP', THEN BACK TO THE 'OFF' POS WITH NO NOTICEABLE CHANGE OF NOISE. UNABLE TO CONTROL CABIN. ACCOMPLISHED EMER DSCNT/RAPID DECOMPRESSION CHKLIST, DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, THE GND AGENT COULD VISUALLY INSPECT ALL EXTERIOR DOORS (CARGO, SVC) FOR SECURITY PRIOR TO PUSHING BACK THE AIRPLANE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.