Narrative:

While climbing through FL180 I attempted to engage the autoplt but it would not engage. After several additional attempts I asked the captain and the F/east to check and see if they noticed anything that might preclude engaging the autoplt. While discussing the matter, passing FL230 the cabin altitude warning horn sounded. I told the F/east to check cabin altitude and to make sure he had both packs on and 2 bleed sources. Packs and bleeds checked good but the cabin altitude was 12,000' while it should have been about 3000'. I leveled the aircraft at FL240 while we tried to control the cabin. We descended to FL210 where we were able to bring the cabin down to 10,000'. At this time 2 F/a's came to the cockpit claiming that they felt lightheaded and stating that several passenger were getting 'giddy' and others were complaining about their ears (the F/a's were somewhat surprised to see the pilots using oxygen). The F/a's also said that 2 small children were getting sick. I suggested that we land and have the pressurization system checked. The captain said that we would descend to FL190 and see where the cabin altitude went from there. Shortly after leveling at FL190 the cabin altitude stabilized at 7000'. We calculated our fuel at that point and proceeded to our destination. Shortly after leveling at FL190 the F/a's reported that all passenger, including the children, were fine. After landing maintenance found that a 3-4' piece of seal was missing from the aft cargo door. I still feel that the decision to land would have been most prudent but the captain didn't agree.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SATISFACTORY CABIN PRESSURE ON CLIMB OUT. PIC ELECTS TO PROCEED TO DESTINATION AT LOWER ALT. LATER FOUND THAT A LARGE PART OF THE SEAL AROUND THE CARGO DOOR WAS MISSING. BOTH PASSENGERS AND CABIN ATTENDANTS WERE PHYSICALLY DISCOMFORTED BY EVENT.

Narrative: WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH FL180 I ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT BUT IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE. AFTER SEVERAL ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS I ASKED THE CAPT AND THE F/E TO CHECK AND SEE IF THEY NOTICED ANYTHING THAT MIGHT PRECLUDE ENGAGING THE AUTOPLT. WHILE DISCUSSING THE MATTER, PASSING FL230 THE CABIN ALT WARNING HORN SOUNDED. I TOLD THE F/E TO CHECK CABIN ALT AND TO MAKE SURE HE HAD BOTH PACKS ON AND 2 BLEED SOURCES. PACKS AND BLEEDS CHECKED GOOD BUT THE CABIN ALT WAS 12,000' WHILE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 3000'. I LEVELED THE ACFT AT FL240 WHILE WE TRIED TO CONTROL THE CABIN. WE DESCENDED TO FL210 WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THE CABIN DOWN TO 10,000'. AT THIS TIME 2 F/A'S CAME TO THE COCKPIT CLAIMING THAT THEY FELT LIGHTHEADED AND STATING THAT SEVERAL PAX WERE GETTING 'GIDDY' AND OTHERS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THEIR EARS (THE F/A'S WERE SOMEWHAT SURPRISED TO SEE THE PLTS USING OXYGEN). THE F/A'S ALSO SAID THAT 2 SMALL CHILDREN WERE GETTING SICK. I SUGGESTED THAT WE LAND AND HAVE THE PRESSURIZATION SYSTEM CHECKED. THE CAPT SAID THAT WE WOULD DSND TO FL190 AND SEE WHERE THE CABIN ALT WENT FROM THERE. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT FL190 THE CABIN ALT STABILIZED AT 7000'. WE CALCULATED OUR FUEL AT THAT POINT AND PROCEEDED TO OUR DEST. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT FL190 THE F/A'S REPORTED THAT ALL PAX, INCLUDING THE CHILDREN, WERE FINE. AFTER LNDG MAINT FOUND THAT A 3-4' PIECE OF SEAL WAS MISSING FROM THE AFT CARGO DOOR. I STILL FEEL THAT THE DECISION TO LAND WOULD HAVE BEEN MOST PRUDENT BUT THE CAPT DIDN'T AGREE.

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.