Narrative:

Holding for atl (approximately 1 hour delay in hold) due to thunderstorms and traffic. Fuel was becoming an issue, just as we were advised our efc was moved up and we could expect release from hold on next turn. At this point, our cabin altitude began climbing at 200 to 400 FPM. It was not ctlable in manual, automatic, and even with increase power. Center was advised we would require immediate descent, they responded with descent clearance to 15000 ft and tight turn towards airport. Controller did great job as he understood our situation completely, he moved traffic and got us a clearance for lower and towards the airport without our even declaring an emergency, which I fully intended to do. During our rapid descent and maneuvering towards the airport and away from traffic, our workload was very high (communicating with ATC, flight attendants, emergency checklist etc), therefore onr thunderstorm avoidance was non- existent. We were fortunate that nothing severe was in our path. We don't know if it was luck or if ATC provided us with a safe path. All things considered this incident was handled reasonably well. ATC couldn't have performed better, my limited experience on the dc-9 (1 month 20 hours) didn't help, but my 12 years as a captain probably did, as I was able to keep focus on important items and maintain cockpit discipline. This really was a dark stormy night. We were able to maintain the cabin altitude below 10000 ft (barely) and leaving 6000 ft, we regained partial control. Our landing was normal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ABLE FLT ASSIST BY ARTCC RADAR CTLR WITH ACR DC-9 EXPERIENCING AN ACFT EQUIP PROB ON 'A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT.'

Narrative: HOLDING FOR ATL (APPROX 1 HR DELAY IN HOLD) DUE TO TSTMS AND TFC. FUEL WAS BECOMING AN ISSUE, JUST AS WE WERE ADVISED OUR EFC WAS MOVED UP AND WE COULD EXPECT RELEASE FROM HOLD ON NEXT TURN. AT THIS POINT, OUR CABIN ALT BEGAN CLBING AT 200 TO 400 FPM. IT WAS NOT CTLABLE IN MANUAL, AUTO, AND EVEN WITH INCREASE PWR. CTR WAS ADVISED WE WOULD REQUIRE IMMEDIATE DSCNT, THEY RESPONDED WITH DSCNT CLRNC TO 15000 FT AND TIGHT TURN TOWARDS ARPT. CTLR DID GREAT JOB AS HE UNDERSTOOD OUR SIT COMPLETELY, HE MOVED TFC AND GOT US A CLRNC FOR LOWER AND TOWARDS THE ARPT WITHOUT OUR EVEN DECLARING AN EMER, WHICH I FULLY INTENDED TO DO. DURING OUR RAPID DSCNT AND MANEUVERING TOWARDS THE ARPT AND AWAY FROM TFC, OUR WORKLOAD WAS VERY HIGH (COMMUNICATING WITH ATC, FLT ATTENDANTS, EMER CHKLIST ETC), THEREFORE ONR TSTM AVOIDANCE WAS NON- EXISTENT. WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT NOTHING SEVERE WAS IN OUR PATH. WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS LUCK OR IF ATC PROVIDED US WITH A SAFE PATH. ALL THINGS CONSIDERED THIS INCIDENT WAS HANDLED REASONABLY WELL. ATC COULDN'T HAVE PERFORMED BETTER, MY LIMITED EXPERIENCE ON THE DC-9 (1 MONTH 20 HRS) DIDN'T HELP, BUT MY 12 YEARS AS A CAPT PROBABLY DID, AS I WAS ABLE TO KEEP FOCUS ON IMPORTANT ITEMS AND MAINTAIN COCKPIT DISCIPLINE. THIS REALLY WAS A DARK STORMY NIGHT. WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE CABIN ALT BELOW 10000 FT (BARELY) AND LEAVING 6000 FT, WE REGAINED PARTIAL CTL. OUR LNDG WAS NORMAL.

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.