Lost cabin pressure. Passenger complained of trouble breathing. Diverted to buf.

Attributes
ACN	98876
Time
Date	198811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : elm
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	98876
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	98755
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

About to level off from climb at FL310 enroute ewr to dtw. Cabin pressure caution light on and autofail light on. Attempted to control cabin in standby and manual a/C and D/C. Both pilots donned oxygen masks and executed loss of pressurization checklist. Cabin climbed in excess of 4000 FPM. After we determined no structural damage a high speed descent to 10000' was made. F/a 'a' reported a passenger in distress with possible heart attack. Flight immediately deviated to buf, no further problems. On ground found 3/4 of forward cargo door seal failed and missing. All crew members performed in calm, deliberate manner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOST CABIN PRESSURE. PAX COMPLAINED OF TROUBLE BREATHING. DIVERTED TO BUF.

Narrative: ABOUT TO LEVEL OFF FROM CLIMB AT FL310 ENROUTE EWR TO DTW. CABIN PRESSURE CAUTION LIGHT ON AND AUTOFAIL LIGHT ON. ATTEMPTED TO CONTROL CABIN IN STANDBY AND MANUAL A/C AND D/C. BOTH PLTS DONNED OXYGEN MASKS AND EXECUTED LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION CHECKLIST. CABIN CLIMBED IN EXCESS OF 4000 FPM. AFTER WE DETERMINED NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE A HIGH SPEED DESCENT TO 10000' WAS MADE. F/A 'A' REPORTED A PAX IN DISTRESS WITH POSSIBLE HEART ATTACK. FLT IMMEDIATELY DEVIATED TO BUF, NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. ON GND FOUND 3/4 OF FORWARD CARGO DOOR SEAL FAILED AND MISSING. ALL CREW MEMBERS PERFORMED IN CALM, DELIBERATE MANNER.

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.