BREAKING: Flight bound for Naples FL - Pilot unresponsive, slumped over controls

[T.Lex]

Complete speculation: the backup pressurization kicked on because the main wasn't working, pilot mistook it for a problem with the backup instead of the main, so wanted to descend to FL180 in case he needed to make a quick drop to <FL100, but he figured the main was still working because it felt pressurized. Didn't realize the real reason the backup kicked on.

Again, we may never know for sure, but that's kinda what makes sense to me based on the recording. Fits the 3-5 minutes of useful consciousness.

Oof, just thought of something else. Is it possible to start the trip using the backup pressurization and not the main? Then, when the backup fails, the main isn't even on?

 

[Dead Duck]

Maybe the passenger just wanted to roll the window down.

 

[T.Lex]

double post

 

[HoughMade]

Maybe the passenger just wanted to roll the window down.

[video=youtube;pHXevnoAciY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHXevnoAciY[/video]

Too soon?

 

[HoughMade]

I am a pilot and this is always something to keep your eye one. I am a healthcare provider and know the signs of hypoxia. I had a small leak in the pressurization system one time and quickly realized I was feeling different. I dropped altitude until I could solve the problem. I think all pilots should have to experience the feelings of hypoxia during training.

That's a good idea. I heard that there was Air Force training where they would take entire air crews and have them experience slow depressurization for just this purpose.

 

[planedriver]

This happens from time to time and few GA aircraft have "the black box". At best they have flight voice recorders for radio only.... Remember Payne Stewart? Oxygen deprivation, vertigo, simple disorientation and so on. Although the aircraft was single engine that type is a "complex" aircraft certified to 30K plus (FYI these have turbine engines). Depending on how quickly the depressurization occurred the pilot may not have had time to react. It's just not about pushing the stick down when auto is running the train.

 

[printcraft]

This happens from time to time and few GA aircraft have "the black box". At best they have flight voice recorders for radio only.... Remember Payne Stewart? Oxygen deprivation, vertigo, simple disorientation and so on. Although the aircraft was single engine that type is a "complex" aircraft certified to 30K plus (FYI these have turbine engines). Depending on how quickly the depressurization occurred the pilot may not have had time to react. It's just not about pushing the stick down when auto is running the train.

Totally ignorant to the actual mechanics question here...... but.....

Does the auto pilot have any features that would allow it to automatically descend to a lower altitude for a pressure drop like that?

 

[planedriver]

Totally ignorant to the actual mechanics question here...... but.....

Does the auto pilot have any features that would allow it to automatically descend to a lower altitude for a pressure drop like that?

Not totally familiar with this particular aircraft, normally on the smaller aircraft if you try to move the controls while engaged, the auto pilot will fight you and win . Certainly there is no feature on any plane that I know of that has an "auto descent". (think flying mountains without air to ground radar)

Another poster mentioned oxygen and yes, FAA requires o2 for pressurized ac and the o2 has to be certified at varying inter-volts depending on the ac use. There are a lot of things that could have gone wrong here including carbon monoxide poisoning. It's too bad when not good things happen to folks who are fair weather pilots in complex aircraft.