CRJ700 flight crew has loss of pressurization; declares emergency and diverts.

Attributes
ACN	713298
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	713298
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 5100 flight time type : 3900
ASRS Report	712516
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

En route at or about FL380; my ears popped and I looked at the pressurization on the EICAS to notice the cabin altitude rapidly increasing. Requested lower altitude from center and were cleared to FL180 with 10000 ft on request. As aircraft descended; cabin altitude caution message displayed and QRH consulted. Prior to finishing QRH for cabin altitude caution message; cabin altitude warning message displayed. Immediate action items were completed and QRH checklist initiated for cabin altitude warning message. As checklist was being completed; flight attendant called the cockpit and were informed on the situation. They told us they had some passenger having health problems. Emergency was declared and diverted to ZZZ. QRH completed for cabin altitude warning message. Dispatch contacted and informed. Also while descending; the autoplt oversped the aircraft 10-15 KTS into the barber pole. Total time from beginning to touchdown was about 20-25 mins. Supplemental information from acn 712516: it was brought to my attention that a passenger had a loss of blood pressure and that she was attending to.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ700 FLT CREW HAS LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION; DECLARES EMER AND DIVERTS.

Narrative: ENRTE AT OR ABOUT FL380; MY EARS POPPED AND I LOOKED AT THE PRESSURIZATION ON THE EICAS TO NOTICE THE CABIN ALT RAPIDLY INCREASING. REQUESTED LOWER ALT FROM CTR AND WERE CLRED TO FL180 WITH 10000 FT ON REQUEST. AS ACFT DSNDED; CABIN ALT CAUTION MESSAGE DISPLAYED AND QRH CONSULTED. PRIOR TO FINISHING QRH FOR CABIN ALT CAUTION MESSAGE; CABIN ALT WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED. IMMEDIATE ACTION ITEMS WERE COMPLETED AND QRH CHKLIST INITIATED FOR CABIN ALT WARNING MESSAGE. AS CHKLIST WAS BEING COMPLETED; FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE COCKPIT AND WERE INFORMED ON THE SITUATION. THEY TOLD US THEY HAD SOME PAX HAVING HEALTH PROBS. EMER WAS DECLARED AND DIVERTED TO ZZZ. QRH COMPLETED FOR CABIN ALT WARNING MESSAGE. DISPATCH CONTACTED AND INFORMED. ALSO WHILE DSNDING; THE AUTOPLT OVERSPED THE ACFT 10-15 KTS INTO THE BARBER POLE. TOTAL TIME FROM BEGINNING TO TOUCHDOWN WAS ABOUT 20-25 MINS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 712516: IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT A PAX HAD A LOSS OF BLOOD PRESSURE AND THAT SHE WAS ATTENDING TO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.