Loss of cabin pressure results in emergency descent to 10000'.

Attributes
ACN	168122
Time
Date	199101
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crp
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other 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 : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	168122
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After takeoff at iah, left AC pack would not pressurize. Climbed to FL240. From climb to level-off (FL240), cabin pressurized normally. Approximately halfway through flight cabin altitude reached 10000' and was climbing slowly. Requested immediate descent to 1000' MSL. ATC (iah) tried to coordinate a descent. By this time, the cabin had climbed to 11000'. ATC asked if I would like to declare an emergency and I stated yes. ATC cleared us to 10000' MSL. At 10000' MSL the cabin stabilized at 7800'. Continued flight to mfe at 10000' MSL approximately 120 mi away. Cancelled emergency with ATC. WX and fuel were no problem to mfe. At mfe I called iah ATC and thanked them for their help.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE RESULTS IN EMERGENCY DESCENT TO 10000'.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF AT IAH, LEFT AC PACK WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE. CLBED TO FL240. FROM CLB TO LEVEL-OFF (FL240), CABIN PRESSURIZED NORMALLY. APPROX HALFWAY THROUGH FLT CABIN ALT REACHED 10000' AND WAS CLBING SLOWLY. REQUESTED IMMEDIATE DSNT TO 1000' MSL. ATC (IAH) TRIED TO COORDINATE A DSNT. BY THIS TIME, THE CABIN HAD CLBED TO 11000'. ATC ASKED IF I WOULD LIKE TO DECLARE AN EMER AND I STATED YES. ATC CLRED US TO 10000' MSL. AT 10000' MSL THE CABIN STABILIZED AT 7800'. CONTINUED FLT TO MFE AT 10000' MSL APPROX 120 MI AWAY. CANCELLED EMER WITH ATC. WX AND FUEL WERE NO PROB TO MFE. AT MFE I CALLED IAH ATC AND THANKED THEM FOR THEIR HELP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.