An air carrier medium large transport declared an emergency and requested an emergency descent for a pressurization problem. ARTCC gave him a frequency change.

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Attributes
ACN	245263
Time
Date	199306
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bae airport : msp
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	245263
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Cruise flight at FL280. Cabin began to climb 700-800 FPM. All indications normal except cabin climbing. Manual controller full forward from automatic system. Ran loss of pressurization checklist, no help. As cabin reached 10000 ft (from 8000 ft), we declared emergency and initiated descent. (Previous request for descent to 10000 ft was 'descend to FL240, lower in a min'.) declared emergency, performed rapid descent, cabin normalized at 12000 ft. No masks deployed, no passenger problems. Flight continued to msp. Maintenance replaced amplifier in system and aircraft was normal on through flight mco and destination. When lower altitude was requested, ARTCC controller asked 'are you declaring an emergency?' reply: 'yes, we are declaring an emergency and we need 10000 ft -- now!' he cleared us to FL240 and gave a frequency change. We proceeded with descent to 12000 ft and finally got contact -- on yet another frequency with next controller. 1) controller erred in not 'clearing a path' and issuing a frequency change. 2) we erred in not refusing the change. Fortunately, we did not delay descent (VFR) and all was well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED AN EMER DSCNT FOR A PRESSURIZATION PROB. ARTCC GAVE HIM A FREQ CHANGE.

Narrative: CRUISE FLT AT FL280. CABIN BEGAN TO CLB 700-800 FPM. ALL INDICATIONS NORMAL EXCEPT CABIN CLBING. MANUAL CTLR FULL FORWARD FROM AUTO SYS. RAN LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION CHKLIST, NO HELP. AS CABIN REACHED 10000 FT (FROM 8000 FT), WE DECLARED EMER AND INITIATED DSCNT. (PREVIOUS REQUEST FOR DSCNT TO 10000 FT WAS 'DSND TO FL240, LOWER IN A MIN'.) DECLARED EMER, PERFORMED RAPID DSCNT, CABIN NORMALIZED AT 12000 FT. NO MASKS DEPLOYED, NO PAX PROBS. FLT CONTINUED TO MSP. MAINT REPLACED AMPLIFIER IN SYS AND ACFT WAS NORMAL ON THROUGH FLT MCO AND DEST. WHEN LOWER ALT WAS REQUESTED, ARTCC CTLR ASKED 'ARE YOU DECLARING AN EMER?' REPLY: 'YES, WE ARE DECLARING AN EMER AND WE NEED 10000 FT -- NOW!' HE CLRED US TO FL240 AND GAVE A FREQ CHANGE. WE PROCEEDED WITH DSCNT TO 12000 FT AND FINALLY GOT CONTACT -- ON YET ANOTHER FREQ WITH NEXT CTLR. 1) CTLR ERRED IN NOT 'CLRING A PATH' AND ISSUING A FREQ CHANGE. 2) WE ERRED IN NOT REFUSING THE CHANGE. FORTUNATELY, WE DID NOT DELAY DSCNT (VFR) AND ALL WAS WELL.

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.