AN MD80 CREW; 100 NM FROM DEST; EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE; SPAWNING AN EMER DSCNT TO 10000 FT.

Narrative

ON MAR/XA/02; I WAS THE FO OF A FLT ENRTE FROM GEG TO SEA. DURING CRUISE; WE WERE ASSIGNED A PLT'S DISCRETION DSCNT FROM FL280 TO FL240. I WAS SCANNING THE OVERHEAD PANEL AND DISCOVERED THAT THE AUTO PRESSURIZATION CONTROLLERS HAD BOTH FAILED. OUR CABIN RATE OF CLB INDICATED MAX RATE OF CLB. PRESSURIZATION SYS FLOW LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CAPT AND I COMPLETED THE MEMORY ITEMS FOR LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURIZATION. CONTACTED CTR AND REQUESTED LOWER. CTR ADVISED US TO STAND BY. WE ARRESTED THE CABIN ALT AT 7500 FT MSL; BUT WERE NOT SURE OF OUR PROB AND WANTED A LOWER ALT ASAP. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND DSNDED TO 10000 FT MSL. WE COMPLETED 'LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURIZATION;' 'AUTO INOP;' AND 'MANUAL PRESSURIZATION' CHKLISTS. THE FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED SEVERAL PAX WERE EXPERIENCING PAIN AND DISCOMFORT. SO WE REQUESTED EMT ASSISTANCE AT THE GATE. NO INJURIES RPTED TO US BY EMT'S FOLLOWING NORMAL LNDG/TAXI IN TO GATE. DURING BRIEFING BY MAINT PERSONNEL; THEY RPT THAT THE ACFT HAD RPTED MAINT HISTORY OF CABIN PRESSURIZATION PROBS.