Dash 8-300
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 93; Flight Crew Total 2865
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
After passing through 11;500 [FT] MSL in our climb the CABIN PRESS warning light came on. We immediately executed an emergency descent to 10;000 FT; and after advising Departure of our need to immediately come down to 10;000 [FT]; I chose to declare an emergency to get that altitude. We ran the appropriate checklists while circling and the cabin pressurization issue was resolved. I contacted Dispatch before proceeding on to our destination; and after verifying we had enough fuel for the flight to continue at a different altitude (10;000 FT); we continued the flight uninterrupted to our destination.
As they climbed through only 11;500 FT MSL the flight crew of a DHC-8 were alerted by a CABIN PRESS warning light. They declared and emergency; descended to 10;000 FT MSL; resolved their problem and continued to their destination after verifying sufficient fuel on board to do so.