A B737 flight crew reported a pressurization problem that forced an early descent. The issue was com...

Narrative:

We were flying at 36;000 feet and we got a cabin altitude warning horn and light. We accomplished cabin altitude warning - abnormal pressurization memory items. I called center and told them we had a pressurization problem and needed to start descending. We finished the cabin altitude abnormal pressurization checklist and could not control the rising cabin pressure. We accomplished the emergency descent checklist and descended to 10;000 feet. We had plenty of fuel and good weather. We contacted dispatch and told them our situation. They agreed continuing to [destination] was the best decision. We had normal indications on the air conditioning panel; both bleeds were on with normal press; both packs were operating normally; and the outflow valve was closed the whole time. We had cabin altitude rise up to almost 14;000 feet. The situation was made more challenging when the first officer put on his oxygen mask and turned on his mask switch. He could not communicate so we used hand signals and he yelled. We found that his microphone wire had a short so he pushed it into a working position and could communicate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 flight crew reported a pressurization problem that forced an early descent. The issue was complicated by the First Officer's Oxygen Mask Microphone exhibiting a shorting cable.

Narrative: We were flying at 36;000 feet and we got a Cabin Altitude Warning horn and light. We accomplished cabin altitude warning - abnormal pressurization memory items. I called Center and told them we had a pressurization problem and needed to start descending. We finished the Cabin Altitude Abnormal Pressurization Checklist and could not control the rising cabin pressure. We accomplished the Emergency Descent Checklist and descended to 10;000 feet. We had plenty of fuel and good weather. We contacted Dispatch and told them our situation. They agreed continuing to [destination] was the best decision. We had normal indications on the air conditioning panel; both bleeds were on with normal press; both packs were operating normally; and the outflow valve was closed the whole time. We had cabin altitude rise up to almost 14;000 feet. The situation was made more challenging when the First Officer put on his oxygen mask and turned on his mask switch. He could not communicate so we used hand signals and he yelled. We found that his Microphone wire had a short so he pushed it into a working position and could communicate.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1266891
Time
Date	201505
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 197
Person 2
Function	First Officer
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 192
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe

A B737 flight crew reported a pressurization problem that forced an early descent. The issue was complicated by the first officer's oxygen mask microphone exhibiting a shorting cable.