B727-200 crew lost cabin pressurization in ZOA class a airspace.

Attributes
ACN	501612
Time
Date	200102
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 28500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	501612
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	501071
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin high altitude warning horn other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While climbing out of sacramento, ca, bound for denver, co, passing FL285, the cabin altitude warning horn began to sound. We (pilots) donned our oxygen masks and the captain leveled the aircraft momentarily. We established that the cabin was in fact just above 10000 ft and climbing erratically at 500-1500 FPM. While the so attempted to regain control of the cabin, I coordinated for an immediate descent, which was given down to 16000 ft MSL. The captain then began the emergency descent. Soon thereafter, the captain gave me control of the aircraft and began working with the so to regain cabin pressure control and run checklists. We couldn't regain cabin control, and I determined from ATC that MVA in our area was 16000 ft, but we were just 35 mi from reno. The captain directed to head toward reno. I coordinated this and soon was given a descent to 9000 ft. Below 10000 ft we removed our masks, finished checklists, coordinated with our flight attendants and landed uneventfully at reno. The masks in the back of the aircraft did deploy, though our gauges reported a maximum cabin altitude of 13000 ft (1500 ft lower than the automatic deployment altitude). Considerations: 1) cockpit communications with oxygen masks on in the B727 is extremely cumbersome. While one pilot is set up to transmit to ATC, he cannot hear the rest of the crew. 2) a warning of a cabin climbing above say 8000 ft (it should never get that high) would afford the crew time to establish a game plan before the need to don oxygen masks was warranted. As far as I know, we did not deviate without ATC approval. However, we did exercise the captain's emergency authority/authorized. We notified dispatch of our intentions en route to rno. I felt the crew performed very well, even with the situation making communication very difficult. I also felt center's performance was excellent. They gave us an immediate clearance to lower altitude, then got us moving toward reno (enabling us to get below 10000 ft) almost immediately.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727-200 CREW LOST CABIN PRESSURIZATION IN ZOA CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF SACRAMENTO, CA, BOUND FOR DENVER, CO, PASSING FL285, THE CABIN ALT WARNING HORN BEGAN TO SOUND. WE (PLTS) DONNED OUR OXYGEN MASKS AND THE CAPT LEVELED THE ACFT MOMENTARILY. WE ESTABLISHED THAT THE CABIN WAS IN FACT JUST ABOVE 10000 FT AND CLBING ERRATICALLY AT 500-1500 FPM. WHILE THE SO ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CTL OF THE CABIN, I COORDINATED FOR AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT, WHICH WAS GIVEN DOWN TO 16000 FT MSL. THE CAPT THEN BEGAN THE EMER DSCNT. SOON THEREAFTER, THE CAPT GAVE ME CTL OF THE ACFT AND BEGAN WORKING WITH THE SO TO REGAIN CABIN PRESSURE CTL AND RUN CHKLISTS. WE COULDN'T REGAIN CABIN CTL, AND I DETERMINED FROM ATC THAT MVA IN OUR AREA WAS 16000 FT, BUT WE WERE JUST 35 MI FROM RENO. THE CAPT DIRECTED TO HEAD TOWARD RENO. I COORDINATED THIS AND SOON WAS GIVEN A DSCNT TO 9000 FT. BELOW 10000 FT WE REMOVED OUR MASKS, FINISHED CHKLISTS, COORDINATED WITH OUR FLT ATTENDANTS AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT RENO. THE MASKS IN THE BACK OF THE ACFT DID DEPLOY, THOUGH OUR GAUGES RPTED A MAX CABIN ALT OF 13000 FT (1500 FT LOWER THAN THE AUTOMATIC DEPLOYMENT ALT). CONSIDERATIONS: 1) COCKPIT COMS WITH OXYGEN MASKS ON IN THE B727 IS EXTREMELY CUMBERSOME. WHILE ONE PLT IS SET UP TO XMIT TO ATC, HE CANNOT HEAR THE REST OF THE CREW. 2) A WARNING OF A CABIN CLBING ABOVE SAY 8000 FT (IT SHOULD NEVER GET THAT HIGH) WOULD AFFORD THE CREW TIME TO ESTABLISH A GAME PLAN BEFORE THE NEED TO DON OXYGEN MASKS WAS WARRANTED. AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE DID NOT DEVIATE WITHOUT ATC APPROVAL. HOWEVER, WE DID EXERCISE THE CAPT'S EMER AUTH. WE NOTIFIED DISPATCH OF OUR INTENTIONS ENRTE TO RNO. I FELT THE CREW PERFORMED VERY WELL, EVEN WITH THE SIT MAKING COM VERY DIFFICULT. I ALSO FELT CTR'S PERFORMANCE WAS EXCELLENT. THEY GAVE US AN IMMEDIATE CLRNC TO LOWER ALT, THEN GOT US MOVING TOWARD RENO (ENABLING US TO GET BELOW 10000 FT) ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

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.