Flight crew could not pressurize aircraft after a no engine bleeds takeoff from las.

Attributes
ACN	108778
Time
Date	198904
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	108778
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As we were climbing out of las through about 25000' we noticed the cabin altitude climbing at a higher than normal rate--about 1500 FPM--and that the cabin altitude was higher than it should have been for our altitude. We went the standby mode on the pressurization panel but were unable to control the cabin altitude, so we went to the manual position and with the outflow valve closed were unable to stop the cabin from climbing. At this point I asked my first officer to tell the center we needed a lower altitude and a clearance back to las, and I started a descent. The center cleared us to 10000' and then asked us to maintain 24000'. We told him we were unable and he again cleared us to 10000'. During our descent we accomplished the rapid decompression (although the cabin was only climbing at about 1500 FPM) and emergency descent checklist. I also cycled the engine bleed switches and shortly thereafter we began to regain control of the cabin altitude. We continued back to las and made a normal approach and landing. Although the O2 mask did deploy, the cabin altitude never got above 13000'. After reviewing the flight, I believe I caused this situation by letting myself become distracted during the takeoff phase where the cabin pressurization panel is normally configured after a no-bleeds takeoff. When I shut down the APU (the only source of bleed air for cabin pressurization) the cabin altitude began to climb. I should have ensured the pressurization system was properly configured prior to shutting down the APU.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW COULD NOT PRESSURIZE ACFT AFTER A NO ENGINE BLEEDS TKOF FROM LAS.

Narrative: AS WE WERE CLBING OUT OF LAS THROUGH ABOUT 25000' WE NOTICED THE CABIN ALT CLBING AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE--ABOUT 1500 FPM--AND THAT THE CABIN ALT WAS HIGHER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR OUR ALT. WE WENT THE STANDBY MODE ON THE PRESSURIZATION PANEL BUT WERE UNABLE TO CONTROL THE CABIN ALT, SO WE WENT TO THE MANUAL POS AND WITH THE OUTFLOW VALVE CLOSED WERE UNABLE TO STOP THE CABIN FROM CLBING. AT THIS POINT I ASKED MY F/O TO TELL THE CENTER WE NEEDED A LOWER ALT AND A CLRNC BACK TO LAS, AND I STARTED A DSCNT. THE CENTER CLRED US TO 10000' AND THEN ASKED US TO MAINTAIN 24000'. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE UNABLE AND HE AGAIN CLRED US TO 10000'. DURING OUR DSCNT WE ACCOMPLISHED THE RAPID DECOMPRESSION (ALTHOUGH THE CABIN WAS ONLY CLBING AT ABOUT 1500 FPM) AND EMER DSCNT CHKLIST. I ALSO CYCLED THE ENG BLEED SWITCHES AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE BEGAN TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CABIN ALT. WE CONTINUED BACK TO LAS AND MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. ALTHOUGH THE O2 MASK DID DEPLOY, THE CABIN ALT NEVER GOT ABOVE 13000'. AFTER REVIEWING THE FLT, I BELIEVE I CAUSED THIS SITUATION BY LETTING MYSELF BECOME DISTRACTED DURING THE TKOF PHASE WHERE THE CABIN PRESSURIZATION PANEL IS NORMALLY CONFIGURED AFTER A NO-BLEEDS TKOF. WHEN I SHUT DOWN THE APU (THE ONLY SOURCE OF BLEED AIR FOR CABIN PRESSURIZATION) THE CABIN ALT BEGAN TO CLB. I SHOULD HAVE ENSURED THE PRESSURIZATION SYS WAS PROPERLY CONFIGURED PRIOR TO SHUTTING DOWN THE APU.

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.