Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 201; Flight Crew Total 16389; Flight Crew Type 6478
Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Declared Emergency
Human Factors; Aircraft
At cruise flight about an hour from coast out the First Officer and I were attempting to correct an excessive and chronic cabin heating problem when we lost control of the cabin pressure. The cabin altitude began a two thousand FPM climb which we could not arrest. We donned oxygen masks and accomplished the CABIN ALTITUDE/EMERGENCY DESCENT checklist. We requested and received clearance to descend to 10;000 FT. While in the descent the cabin altitude reached approximately 13;000 FT. After leveling off we were able to pressurize the cabin to about 2;000 FT and made the decision to return to our departure airport. The cabin altitude was above 10;000 FT for only a few minutes and the passenger oxygen masks never deployed. We decided to land overweight due no dump capability and another hour aloft was needed to burn down to maximum landing weight. Lead Flight Attendant did not report any anomalies in the cabin and no passenger issues. After landing and debriefing Maintenance; we discovered the aircraft had had a pressurization problem four days earlier.
After landing; we experienced ice chunks and water coming out of the vents. Talking to Maintenance; we found out that the aircraft had a pressurization problem four days earlier.
Following the loss of cabin pressurization a B757 flight crew initiated an emergency descent; declared and emergency and returned to their departure airport.