Narrative:

During initial climb out we noticed during the climb check that the aircraft was not pressurizing. The rate of climb of the cabin was equal to the climb rate of the aircraft. We advised ATC that we had a pressurization problem and leveled at 6;000 ft. The cabin rate slowed but continued to climb. We verified the correct position of the packs and bleed switches and they were set correctly. We decided to climb to 9;000 ft to see if the problem would continue. As we did this; the flight attendants called us and told us there was a loud sound of rushing air coming from the forward entry door and the air coming in was quite cold. We had no indications that any of the doors were open. Based on what the flight attendants told us about the noise and temperature of the air entering the cabin; as well as our indications in the cockpit; the aircraft was not pressurizing and something was wrong with the forward entry door. We decided that we had to return for an overweight landing. We notified ATC of our intentions and were given box pattern vectors and a decent to 3;000 ft while we called operations and maintenance and told them what was going on. Since we were going to make an overweight landing (we landed weighing approximately 141;000 pounds); we felt it was best to declare and emergency in case something happened on landing like a brake overheating and starting on fire or structural damage. We made a visual approach to 1L and landed smoothly as requested by maintenance and returned to the gate without further incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700's L-1 door failed to seal when closed prior to takeoff. The aircraft returned to land because it would not pressurized.

Narrative: During initial climb out we noticed during the climb check that the aircraft was not pressurizing. The rate of climb of the cabin was equal to the climb rate of the aircraft. We advised ATC that we had a pressurization problem and leveled at 6;000 FT. The cabin rate slowed but continued to climb. We verified the correct position of the packs and bleed switches and they were set correctly. We decided to climb to 9;000 FT to see if the problem would continue. As we did this; the flight attendants called us and told us there was a loud sound of rushing air coming from the forward entry door and the air coming in was quite cold. We had no indications that any of the doors were open. Based on what the flight attendants told us about the noise and temperature of the air entering the cabin; as well as our indications in the cockpit; the aircraft was not pressurizing and something was wrong with the forward entry door. We decided that we had to return for an overweight landing. We notified ATC of our intentions and were given box pattern vectors and a decent to 3;000 FT while we called Operations and Maintenance and told them what was going on. Since we were going to make an overweight landing (We landed weighing approximately 141;000 LBS); we felt it was best to declare and emergency in case something happened on landing like a brake overheating and starting on fire or structural damage. We made a visual approach to 1L and landed smoothly as requested by Maintenance and returned to the gate without further incident.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.