Emergency descent due to loss of pressurization.

Attributes
ACN	289793
Time
Date	199411
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vxv airport : clt
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	289793
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Cruising at FL290 in area of thunderstorm activity. Cabin pressurization fail light illuminated and cabin altitude indicated 13500 ft. Declared emergency to ATC as cabin pressure failed. Initiated rapid depressurization and emergency descent procedures according to checklists. Aircraft cleared by ATC to 10000 ft. Passenger and crew were on oxygen masks. At 10000 ft and near knoxville, tn, cabin stabilized and proceeded to nearest suitable airport, charlotte, nc. No damage or injury of any nature to aircraft or passenger. Aircraft at time of incident was in light precipitation, light turbulence and an area of thunderstorm activity. Aircraft was indicating 250 KIAS with wing and engine anti-ice on and operating normally. Cabin pressure was correctly set at 1000 ft above cruise altitude (FL290). All aircraft switches, system operating normally prior to incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER DSCNT DUE TO LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION.

Narrative: CRUISING AT FL290 IN AREA OF TSTM ACTIVITY. CABIN PRESSURIZATION FAIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND CABIN ALT INDICATED 13500 FT. DECLARED EMER TO ATC AS CABIN PRESSURE FAILED. INITIATED RAPID DEPRESSURIZATION AND EMER DSCNT PROCS ACCORDING TO CHKLISTS. ACFT CLRED BY ATC TO 10000 FT. PAX AND CREW WERE ON OXYGEN MASKS. AT 10000 FT AND NEAR KNOXVILLE, TN, CABIN STABILIZED AND PROCEEDED TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT, CHARLOTTE, NC. NO DAMAGE OR INJURY OF ANY NATURE TO ACFT OR PAX. ACFT AT TIME OF INCIDENT WAS IN LIGHT PRECIPITATION, LIGHT TURB AND AN AREA OF TSTM ACTIVITY. ACFT WAS INDICATING 250 KIAS WITH WING AND ENG ANTI-ICE ON AND OPERATING NORMALLY. CABIN PRESSURE WAS CORRECTLY SET AT 1000 FT ABOVE CRUISE ALT (FL290). ALL ACFT SWITCHES, SYS OPERATING NORMALLY PRIOR TO INCIDENT.

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.