Air carrier hears loud bang and has cabin pressure loss. Emergency descent.

Attributes
ACN	184231
Time
Date	199107
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	184231
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While cruising at FL290, heard a loud bang. Cabin rate of climb went to 1500 FPM and gradually increased to maximum. Captain and to went on oxygen. Captain asked ATC for a descent to 10000 ft... No reply. Captain informed ny center flight XXX departing FL290 for 10000 ft due to loss of cabin pressure. ATC cleared us to FL180, then 16000 ft then 10000 ft. We leveled off at 10000 ft. Completed all checklists. Captain made PA to passenger stating we experienced a partial pressure loss and all is ok now, ETA lga xx local. A flight attendant entered cockpit stating all ok. Passenger doing fine. Landed lga xx local. Flight originated cle. Maximum cabin altitude reached was 15000 ft. All oxygen masks deployed (passenger). Emergency descent utilized vmo/mmo.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HEARS LOUD BANG AND HAS CABIN PRESSURE LOSS. EMER DSCNT.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL290, HEARD A LOUD BANG. CABIN RATE OF CLB WENT TO 1500 FPM AND GRADUALLY INCREASED TO MAX. CAPT AND TO WENT ON OXYGEN. CAPT ASKED ATC FOR A DSCNT TO 10000 FT... NO REPLY. CAPT INFORMED NY CTR FLT XXX DEPARTING FL290 FOR 10000 FT DUE TO LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE. ATC CLRED US TO FL180, THEN 16000 FT THEN 10000 FT. WE LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT. COMPLETED ALL CHKLISTS. CAPT MADE PA TO PAX STATING WE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL PRESSURE LOSS AND ALL IS OK NOW, ETA LGA XX LCL. A FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED COCKPIT STATING ALL OK. PAX DOING FINE. LANDED LGA XX LCL. FLT ORIGINATED CLE. MAX CABIN ALT REACHED WAS 15000 FT. ALL OXYGEN MASKS DEPLOYED (PAX). EMER DSCNT UTILIZED VMO/MMO.

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.