Medium large transport unable to pressurize after takeoff, continues flight at 10000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	315161
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca tower : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 12300 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	315161
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Maintenance taxied over aircraft at XA10 for XA30 takeoff. Maintenance was turning over aircraft to pilots as captain did walkaround. During cockpit checks, crew noted equipment/tire burst light on. Maintenance called. They said all was secure and MEL was placed on light. Ground pushback crew (contract) said all panels/doors secure. After takeoff, aircraft would not pressurize. Flew short (40 mins) flight at 10000 ft cabin (WX clear). After landing, maintenance found east and east door open, causing aircraft to not pressurize on takeoff. Hindsight -- crew could have gotten out of cockpit and checked the east and east door personally after maintenance personnel said it was secure. Note: a completely safe, normal takeoff was made and a safe flight was completed. The short duration of the flight, more than adequate fuel, excellent WX, and the route flown allowed for the completion of the flight at a cruise altitude of 10000 ft cabin altitude or less.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG UNABLE TO PRESSURIZE AFTER TKOF, CONTINUES FLT AT 10000 FT.

Narrative: MAINT TAXIED OVER ACFT AT XA10 FOR XA30 TKOF. MAINT WAS TURNING OVER ACFT TO PLTS AS CAPT DID WALKAROUND. DURING COCKPIT CHKS, CREW NOTED EQUIP/TIRE BURST LIGHT ON. MAINT CALLED. THEY SAID ALL WAS SECURE AND MEL WAS PLACED ON LIGHT. GND PUSHBACK CREW (CONTRACT) SAID ALL PANELS/DOORS SECURE. AFTER TKOF, ACFT WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE. FLEW SHORT (40 MINS) FLT AT 10000 FT CABIN (WX CLR). AFTER LNDG, MAINT FOUND E AND E DOOR OPEN, CAUSING ACFT TO NOT PRESSURIZE ON TKOF. HINDSIGHT -- CREW COULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF COCKPIT AND CHKED THE E AND E DOOR PERSONALLY AFTER MAINT PERSONNEL SAID IT WAS SECURE. NOTE: A COMPLETELY SAFE, NORMAL TKOF WAS MADE AND A SAFE FLT WAS COMPLETED. THE SHORT DURATION OF THE FLT, MORE THAN ADEQUATE FUEL, EXCELLENT WX, AND THE RTE FLOWN ALLOWED FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE FLT AT A CRUISE ALT OF 10000 FT CABIN ALT OR LESS.

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.