A300 crew made an emergency descent because of loss of cabin pressurization.

Attributes
ACN	551310
Time
Date	200206
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : vrb.vortac
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	551310
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	551309
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam alert other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overrode automation none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During climb, ECAM message alert cabin vertical speed. Selected other automatic pressurization system, but still no change. Selected manual pressurization and still would not slow or decrease cabin climb. Leveled off at 17000 ft. As cabin approached 10000 ft, requested descent from ZMA. Told unable descent, so declared an emergency and was given 10000 ft and descended to 10000 ft. Cabin altitude reached 11000 ft, then descended with aircraft. When cabin altitude was below 10000 ft, emergency was canceled. Normal landing mia. Ensured aircraft was depressurized by turning off both packs after landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CREW MADE AN EMER DSCNT BECAUSE OF LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURIZATION.

Narrative: DURING CLB, ECAM MESSAGE ALERT CABIN VERT SPD. SELECTED OTHER AUTO PRESSURIZATION SYS, BUT STILL NO CHANGE. SELECTED MANUAL PRESSURIZATION AND STILL WOULD NOT SLOW OR DECREASE CABIN CLB. LEVELED OFF AT 17000 FT. AS CABIN APCHED 10000 FT, REQUESTED DSCNT FROM ZMA. TOLD UNABLE DSCNT, SO DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS GIVEN 10000 FT AND DSNDED TO 10000 FT. CABIN ALT REACHED 11000 FT, THEN DSNDED WITH ACFT. WHEN CABIN ALT WAS BELOW 10000 FT, EMER WAS CANCELED. NORMAL LNDG MIA. ENSURED ACFT WAS DEPRESSURIZED BY TURNING OFF BOTH PACKS AFTER LNDG.

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.