An air carrier B727-200 crew had to make an emergency descent when they had an aircraft equipment problem loss of pressurization. Emergency declared. Diversion to alternate.

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Attributes
ACN	347571
Time
Date	199609
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : orf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	347571
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While at FL350 in normal cruise, the flight engineer stated that the cabin altitude had begun a rapid climb. He was operating pressurization in standby (automatic electronic system) mode due to an inoperative placard on the automatic portion of controller. The flight engineer selected manual operation to stop the climb, and when I saw the cabin altimeter pass 8500 ft without abatement, I initiated an emergency descent. ATC was advised that we were declaring an emergency and descending due to loss of pressurization. The cabin altitude warning horn went off as we passed FL290 and the oxygen masks dropped automatically as we continued down. The passenger were advised of the situation. Since we had just passed orf in clear WX, I asked for clearance to proceed to orf for landing. We leveled briefly at 16000 ft and the flight engineer said the cabin altitude was coming down. ATC gave vectors to orf and we landed without further incident. All 3 crew members are new to the equipment, and I may have started the descent before giving the manual control a chance, but I was concerned about trouble-shooting while at FL350.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B727-200 CREW HAD TO MAKE AN EMER DSCNT WHEN THEY HAD AN ACFT EQUIP PROB LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION. EMER DECLARED. DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: WHILE AT FL350 IN NORMAL CRUISE, THE FE STATED THAT THE CABIN ALT HAD BEGUN A RAPID CLB. HE WAS OPERATING PRESSURIZATION IN STANDBY (AUTO ELECTRONIC SYS) MODE DUE TO AN INOP PLACARD ON THE AUTO PORTION OF CTLR. THE FE SELECTED MANUAL OP TO STOP THE CLB, AND WHEN I SAW THE CABIN ALTIMETER PASS 8500 FT WITHOUT ABATEMENT, I INITIATED AN EMER DSCNT. ATC WAS ADVISED THAT WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER AND DSNDING DUE TO LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION. THE CABIN ALT WARNING HORN WENT OFF AS WE PASSED FL290 AND THE OXYGEN MASKS DROPPED AUTOMATICALLY AS WE CONTINUED DOWN. THE PAX WERE ADVISED OF THE SIT. SINCE WE HAD JUST PASSED ORF IN CLR WX, I ASKED FOR CLRNC TO PROCEED TO ORF FOR LNDG. WE LEVELED BRIEFLY AT 16000 FT AND THE FE SAID THE CABIN ALT WAS COMING DOWN. ATC GAVE VECTORS TO ORF AND WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS ARE NEW TO THE EQUIP, AND I MAY HAVE STARTED THE DSCNT BEFORE GIVING THE MANUAL CTL A CHANCE, BUT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT TROUBLE-SHOOTING WHILE AT FL350.

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.