Narrative:

While climbing through 10000 ft, an EICAS caution 'cool display' appeared. I called for the appropriate checklist. While beginning the checklist passing through 17000 ft, EICAS caution 'cabin altitude' appeared. We were cleared to FL230 because the cabin had reached 7500 ft. I requested to level at FL180. As we leveled, the cabin continued to climb approaching 8500 ft and rising. I requesting an immediate descent to 10000 ft. ATC redirected an aircraft at a lower altitude and then cleared us to 10000 ft. While in descent, I directed the first officer to don his oxygen mask as I was doing so. The cabin reached a maximum altitude of 10100 ft prior to our leveloff at 10000 ft. We were cleared directly to a fix (which I can't remember at this moment), and due to our heavy workload, it was about 4 mins until we changed course. We complied with checklists and the remainder of the flight was made unpressurized, and without incident. No injuries were reported. One factor was a deferred pack. The other had operated normally on the previous flight without problems. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter advised that the aircraft was restr to FL250 due to the deferred air conditioning pack. He felt the pack was functioning properly but that the inability to pressurize was associated with the EICAS warning regarding a cooling fan exit door that should have closed and remained closed in-flight. No emergency was declared.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNABLE TO CTL A GRADUAL DECOMPRESSION DURING CLBOUT, FLT CREW OF A CARJ DSNDS TO 10000 FT AND CONTINUES TO DEST.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING THROUGH 10000 FT, AN EICAS CAUTION 'COOL DISPLAY' APPEARED. I CALLED FOR THE APPROPRIATE CHKLIST. WHILE BEGINNING THE CHKLIST PASSING THROUGH 17000 FT, EICAS CAUTION 'CABIN ALT' APPEARED. WE WERE CLRED TO FL230 BECAUSE THE CABIN HAD REACHED 7500 FT. I REQUESTED TO LEVEL AT FL180. AS WE LEVELED, THE CABIN CONTINUED TO CLB APCHING 8500 FT AND RISING. I REQUESTING AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 10000 FT. ATC REDIRECTED AN ACFT AT A LOWER ALT AND THEN CLRED US TO 10000 FT. WHILE IN DSCNT, I DIRECTED THE FO TO DON HIS OXYGEN MASK AS I WAS DOING SO. THE CABIN REACHED A MAX ALT OF 10100 FT PRIOR TO OUR LEVELOFF AT 10000 FT. WE WERE CLRED DIRECTLY TO A FIX (WHICH I CAN'T REMEMBER AT THIS MOMENT), AND DUE TO OUR HVY WORKLOAD, IT WAS ABOUT 4 MINS UNTIL WE CHANGED COURSE. WE COMPLIED WITH CHKLISTS AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS MADE UNPRESSURIZED, AND WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO INJURIES WERE RPTED. ONE FACTOR WAS A DEFERRED PACK. THE OTHER HAD OPERATED NORMALLY ON THE PREVIOUS FLT WITHOUT PROBS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR ADVISED THAT THE ACFT WAS RESTR TO FL250 DUE TO THE DEFERRED AIR CONDITIONING PACK. HE FELT THE PACK WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY BUT THAT THE INABILITY TO PRESSURIZE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EICAS WARNING REGARDING A COOLING FAN EXIT DOOR THAT SHOULD HAVE CLOSED AND REMAINED CLOSED INFLT. NO EMER WAS DECLARED.

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.