LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE DURING CLB INDUCES FLC TO ASK FOR LOWER ALT. SLOW ARTCC RADAR CTLR RESPONSE HAS CREW CALL A POTENTIAL EMER SO AS TO GET LOWER 'NOW.'

Narrative

ON CLBOUT OF CRP WHILE OPERATING ON ONLY 1 AIR CONDITIONING PACK DUE TO AN MCO ON THE OTHER ONE; WE NOTICED THAT THE ONE OPERATING PACK WAS NOT MAINTAINING CABIN PRESSURE. THE CABIN PRESSURE WAS APPROX 5000 FT AND RISING 700 TO 800 FPM. WE REQUESTED A LOWER ALT DUE TO PRESSURIZATION PROBLEMS. A MIN OR 2 LATER WE WERE CLRED TO 22000 FT THEN 23000 FT. AFTER LEVELING AT FL230 WE INFORMED CTR THAT IF WE DID NOT GET A LOWER ALT; THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER IN ABOUT A MIN AND A HALF DUE TO THE FACT THE CABIN ALT WAS NOW APCHING 9000 FT. CTR THEN ASSIGNED US 14000 FT AND 270 DEG HDG FOR DSCNT. AT FL180 THE CABIN ALT WAS DSNDING AND THE SITUATION WAS UNDER CTL. WE THEN ASKED CTR IF WE COULD LEVEL OFF AND CONTINUE AT THAT ALT. WE WERE CLRED AS REQUESTED. CTR THEN ASKED US IF THE EMER WAS OVER. WE SAID THAT IT WAS. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE WORD EMER WAS MENTIONED SINCE WE FIRST STATED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO DECLARE ONE IF OUR SITUATION DID NOT IMPROVE. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT CTR THOUGHT WE HAD DECLARED AN EMER WHEN WE HAD NOT. ATC AND AIRCREWS SHOULD BE MORE CLR WHEN DISCUSSING EMERS.