Flight crew of an large transport made an emergency descent due to loss of cabin pressurization.

Attributes
ACN	282311
Time
Date	199408
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 13300 flight time type : 190
ASRS Report	282311
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After level off at FL350 the so indicated that the cabin altitude was climbing through 9000 ft. All crew members donned oxygen masks and the so began the procedure to re-establish pressurization. After a few moments it became clear that cabin pressurization was uncontrollable so with the first officer flying I advised ATC of our situation and requested an immediate descent. I believe his reply was, 'can't let you descend due to traffic, will get back to you in a couple of mins.' I found that unsatisfactory. The cabin now was going through 15000 ft and I once again told ATC we needed to go down now. After another refusal I declared an emergency and as soon as an aircraft below us (noted on TCASII) cleared, we began our descent. The cabin had climbed through 20000 ft though this was not an imminent danger situation. We did have elderly and toddlers on board and it was my judgement to get the aircraft to a safe altitude as soon as possible. After leveling we checked the condition of the aircraft and passenger several times and decided it best to continue to destination at the lower altitude since all was well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT MADE AN EMER DSCNT DUE TO LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURIZATION.

Narrative: AFTER LEVEL OFF AT FL350 THE SO INDICATED THAT THE CABIN ALT WAS CLBING THROUGH 9000 FT. ALL CREW MEMBERS DONNED OXYGEN MASKS AND THE SO BEGAN THE PROC TO RE-ESTABLISH PRESSURIZATION. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS IT BECAME CLR THAT CABIN PRESSURIZATION WAS UNCTLABLE SO WITH THE FO FLYING I ADVISED ATC OF OUR SIT AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. I BELIEVE HIS REPLY WAS, 'CAN'T LET YOU DSND DUE TO TFC, WILL GET BACK TO YOU IN A COUPLE OF MINS.' I FOUND THAT UNSATISFACTORY. THE CABIN NOW WAS GOING THROUGH 15000 FT AND I ONCE AGAIN TOLD ATC WE NEEDED TO GO DOWN NOW. AFTER ANOTHER REFUSAL I DECLARED AN EMER AND AS SOON AS AN ACFT BELOW US (NOTED ON TCASII) CLRED, WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT. THE CABIN HAD CLBED THROUGH 20000 FT THOUGH THIS WAS NOT AN IMMINENT DANGER SIT. WE DID HAVE ELDERLY AND TODDLERS ON BOARD AND IT WAS MY JUDGEMENT TO GET THE ACFT TO A SAFE ALT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AFTER LEVELING WE CHKED THE CONDITION OF THE ACFT AND PAX SEVERAL TIMES AND DECIDED IT BEST TO CONTINUE TO DEST AT THE LOWER ALT SINCE 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.