Cpr small transport door warning light came on at FL290. Pilot brought the cabin altitude up to abov...

Attributes
ACN	195737
Time
Date	199111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lzz
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	195737
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While flying at FL290 the cabin door light came on, cabin pressure stayed as set but I asked center for lower, he gave me 210. Just in case it was something other than the light I turned the pressurization controller to bring the cabin altitude up, if down. The only problem was when I did, I set it to 12500. When it reached 12500 in the cabin, the cabin altitude light came on and the O2 mask in the back deployed. I was alarmed and thought I may really have a problem. I did not realize I brought the cabin up so much. Then I told center I had pressurization trouble. He asked if I was declaring an emergency. I said no, but wanted lower and to go into waco. He gave 11000 and direct waco. When I got to FL190, I saw the cabin was holding altitude and set it lower. I was sure the only problem I had was a bad switch and only the door light. I elected to climb and go the dallas ads to the manufacturer's place. He gave me higher and cleared me as requested. If I paid more attention to the pressurization controller cabin altitude, I would have made sure it wasn't at 12500. I knew what happens when the cabin reaches 12500. In training you learn a great deal more about system than most people think. I know FL290 is not the place to wait and see if it is only a door light. The controllers always work very well with the pilots. Even though I didn't declare an emergency, he didn't hesitate to give me a new clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR SMT DOOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AT FL290. PLT BROUGHT THE CABIN ALT UP TO ABOVE ALT WHERE O2 MASKS DEPLOYED AS HE DSNDED. FINALLY FIGURED OUT IT WAS JUST A FALSE WARNING AND CONTINUED.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING AT FL290 THE CABIN DOOR LIGHT CAME ON, CABIN PRESSURE STAYED AS SET BUT I ASKED CENTER FOR LOWER, HE GAVE ME 210. JUST IN CASE IT WAS SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE LIGHT I TURNED THE PRESSURIZATION CTLR TO BRING THE CABIN ALT UP, IF DOWN. THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS WHEN I DID, I SET IT TO 12500. WHEN IT REACHED 12500 IN THE CABIN, THE CABIN ALT LIGHT CAME ON AND THE O2 MASK IN THE BACK DEPLOYED. I WAS ALARMED AND THOUGHT I MAY REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM. I DID NOT REALIZE I BROUGHT THE CABIN UP SO MUCH. THEN I TOLD CENTER I HAD PRESSURIZATION TROUBLE. HE ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I SAID NO, BUT WANTED LOWER AND TO GO INTO WACO. HE GAVE 11000 AND DIRECT WACO. WHEN I GOT TO FL190, I SAW THE CABIN WAS HOLDING ALT AND SET IT LOWER. I WAS SURE THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAD WAS A BAD SWITCH AND ONLY THE DOOR LIGHT. I ELECTED TO CLB AND GO THE DALLAS ADS TO THE MANUFACTURER'S PLACE. HE GAVE ME HIGHER AND CLRED ME AS REQUESTED. IF I PAID MORE ATTN TO THE PRESSURIZATION CTLR CABIN ALT, I WOULD HAVE MADE SURE IT WASN'T AT 12500. I KNEW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CABIN REACHES 12500. IN TRAINING YOU LEARN A GREAT DEAL MORE ABOUT SYS THAN MOST PEOPLE THINK. I KNOW FL290 IS NOT THE PLACE TO WAIT AND SEE IF IT IS ONLY A DOOR LIGHT. THE CTLRS ALWAYS WORK VERY WELL WITH THE PLTS. EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T DECLARE AN EMER, HE DIDN'T HESITATE TO GIVE ME A NEW CLRNC.

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.

Cpr small transport door warning light came on at FL290. Pilot brought the cabin altitude up to above altitude where O2 masks deployed as he descended. Finally figured out it was just a false warning and continued.