B727 makes emergency descent due to pressurization failure and conflicts with another en route air carrier under ZTL control.

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Attributes
ACN	522122
Time
Date	200108
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : spa.vortac
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	522122
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin altimeter, rate of climb other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We had leveled off at FL230 because of a pressurization problem. (The cabin altitude was approximately 7000 ft and climbing at 500 FPM and we were unable to stop the climb). We asked ZTL for an immediate descent due to a pressurization problem. He asked us if it was an emergency and if we needed an emergency descent. We replied that it was not an emergency, but that we needed to descend immediately. He informed us that we had traffic at 12 O'clock position, and to turn 15 degrees left and descend to 11000 ft. We immediately started our left turn and began our descent. (ATC also told our traffic to turn left 15 degrees to accommodate our descent.) as we were turning and descending, ATC informed us that he had lost minimum separation between us and our traffic. (We had our traffic in sight and he said that he had us in sight.) in my opinion, the ZTL controller did an excellent job of providing us with a descent while keeping us separated from our traffic. I never felt we were in any danger from the other aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 MAKES EMER DSCNT DUE TO PRESSURIZATION FAILURE AND CONFLICTS WITH ANOTHER ENRTE ACR UNDER ZTL CTL.

Narrative: WE HAD LEVELED OFF AT FL230 BECAUSE OF A PRESSURIZATION PROB. (THE CABIN ALT WAS APPROX 7000 FT AND CLBING AT 500 FPM AND WE WERE UNABLE TO STOP THE CLB). WE ASKED ZTL FOR AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT DUE TO A PRESSURIZATION PROB. HE ASKED US IF IT WAS AN EMER AND IF WE NEEDED AN EMER DSCNT. WE REPLIED THAT IT WAS NOT AN EMER, BUT THAT WE NEEDED TO DSND IMMEDIATELY. HE INFORMED US THAT WE HAD TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS, AND TO TURN 15 DEGS L AND DSND TO 11000 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED OUR L TURN AND BEGAN OUR DSCNT. (ATC ALSO TOLD OUR TFC TO TURN L 15 DEGS TO ACCOMMODATE OUR DSCNT.) AS WE WERE TURNING AND DSNDING, ATC INFORMED US THAT HE HAD LOST MINIMUM SEPARATION BTWN US AND OUR TFC. (WE HAD OUR TFC IN SIGHT AND HE SAID THAT HE HAD US IN SIGHT.) IN MY OPINION, THE ZTL CTLR DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF PROVIDING US WITH A DSCNT WHILE KEEPING US SEPARATED FROM OUR TFC. I NEVER FELT WE WERE IN ANY DANGER FROM THE OTHER ACFT.

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.