Narrative:

While in a climb; my first officer noticed that we had an automatic inoperative light on the pressurization panel; indicating we had lost both of our automatic pressurization system. I looked at the cabin altitude and it was climbing through about 8500 ft. I was the PNF; and I immediately called center and asked for a descent to 10000 ft. We were given the descent; and the first officer (PF) started a descent. I decided I wanted to get below 10000 ft; so I called back and asked for a descent to 8000 ft; which was given. ATC asked if we wanted to declare an emergency; and since I had asked for a descent because of a pressurization problem; I told him yes; we would declare an emergency. After establishing the descent; the first officer took the radios and I opened the checklist and ran the checklist for loss of automatic pressurization. After running the checklist; I was able to get control of the cabin altitude using manual pressurization. The cabin altitude topped out at about 9000 ft; and I was able to bring it back down to a normal cabin altitude. Once I was sure we had control of the pressurization again; I decided there was no reason to land short; so I called center; told him we would like to cancel the emergency and we continued to ZZZ. I notified our dispatcher of the circumstances and the rest of the flight continued uneventfully. I wondered about declaring the emergency since we never even got a cabin altitude warning; but I think it was the right thing since we were in effect getting priority handling during the descent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 EXPERIENCES LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION AND DECLARES EMERGENCY FOR LOWER ALTITUDE. SYSTEM CONTROL RESTORED AND EMERGENCY CANCELLED.

Narrative: WHILE IN A CLB; MY FO NOTICED THAT WE HAD AN AUTO INOP LIGHT ON THE PRESSURIZATION PANEL; INDICATING WE HAD LOST BOTH OF OUR AUTO PRESSURIZATION SYS. I LOOKED AT THE CABIN ALT AND IT WAS CLBING THROUGH ABOUT 8500 FT. I WAS THE PNF; AND I IMMEDIATELY CALLED CTR AND ASKED FOR A DSCNT TO 10000 FT. WE WERE GIVEN THE DSCNT; AND THE FO (PF) STARTED A DSCNT. I DECIDED I WANTED TO GET BELOW 10000 FT; SO I CALLED BACK AND ASKED FOR A DSCNT TO 8000 FT; WHICH WAS GIVEN. ATC ASKED IF WE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER; AND SINCE I HAD ASKED FOR A DSCNT BECAUSE OF A PRESSURIZATION PROB; I TOLD HIM YES; WE WOULD DECLARE AN EMER. AFTER ESTABLISHING THE DSCNT; THE FO TOOK THE RADIOS AND I OPENED THE CHKLIST AND RAN THE CHKLIST FOR LOSS OF AUTO PRESSURIZATION. AFTER RUNNING THE CHKLIST; I WAS ABLE TO GET CTL OF THE CABIN ALT USING MANUAL PRESSURIZATION. THE CABIN ALT TOPPED OUT AT ABOUT 9000 FT; AND I WAS ABLE TO BRING IT BACK DOWN TO A NORMAL CABIN ALT. ONCE I WAS SURE WE HAD CTL OF THE PRESSURIZATION AGAIN; I DECIDED THERE WAS NO REASON TO LAND SHORT; SO I CALLED CTR; TOLD HIM WE WOULD LIKE TO CANCEL THE EMER AND WE CONTINUED TO ZZZ. I NOTIFIED OUR DISPATCHER OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE REST OF THE FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. I WONDERED ABOUT DECLARING THE EMER SINCE WE NEVER EVEN GOT A CABIN ALT WARNING; BUT I THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT THING SINCE WE WERE IN EFFECT GETTING PRIORITY HANDLING DURING THE DSCNT.

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.