Flight crew oxygen failure at cruise altitude.

Attributes
ACN	318623
Time
Date	199510
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : oak tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Shooting Star
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 1875 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	318623
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Reporter flew lead in flight of 2 smtp aircraft. Assigned FL290. Shortly after reaching it, reporter became hypoxic and passed out and was not aware of ATC, the #2, and rear cockpit attempting to communicate with him. Pilot in rear advised ATC, ZOA that he was taking the aircraft to lower altitude as an oxygen problem was suspected. Reporter became conscious at FL230 but disoriented, went to 100 percent oxygen and safety on the regulator at FL180, then took control of aircraft and continued flight at 18000 ft to destination. The front cockpit oxygen regulator had failed and will be replaced. Supplemental information from acn 318474: flight of (2) led by xa T33 second element xb venom jet, bakersfield, ca, to boise, identification, at 29000 ft. Discovered by radio that lead was not responding to communication. Leader aircraft began to wander around, he told me to take lead, and he came into the slot position (behind to 6 O'clock). Position for lost communications so I relayed to center that I was #2 in flight, I was level 29000 ft. They had me squawk my own code and continue at 29000 ft to boi. Various attempts made at communicating with xa, and I became my own flight till landing. Turned out that pilot had lost oxygen and his passenger recovered the T33 at 18000 ft in a high speed descent. Center finally established communication with pilot who had hypoxia at 18000 ft and I heard on frequency he was ok. We both continued to boi uneventfully. Corrective action, oxygen to 100 percent, but first must recognize lost oxygen.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OXYGEN FAILURE AT CRUISE ALT.

Narrative: RPTR FLEW LEAD IN FLT OF 2 SMTP ACFT. ASSIGNED FL290. SHORTLY AFTER REACHING IT, RPTR BECAME HYPOXIC AND PASSED OUT AND WAS NOT AWARE OF ATC, THE #2, AND REAR COCKPIT ATTEMPTING TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM. PLT IN REAR ADVISED ATC, ZOA THAT HE WAS TAKING THE ACFT TO LOWER ALT AS AN OXYGEN PROB WAS SUSPECTED. RPTR BECAME CONSCIOUS AT FL230 BUT DISORIENTED, WENT TO 100 PERCENT OXYGEN AND SAFETY ON THE REGULATOR AT FL180, THEN TOOK CTL OF ACFT AND CONTINUED FLT AT 18000 FT TO DEST. THE FRONT COCKPIT OXYGEN REGULATOR HAD FAILED AND WILL BE REPLACED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 318474: FLT OF (2) LED BY XA T33 SECOND ELEMENT XB VENOM JET, BAKERSFIELD, CA, TO BOISE, ID, AT 29000 FT. DISCOVERED BY RADIO THAT LEAD WAS NOT RESPONDING TO COM. LEADER ACFT BEGAN TO WANDER AROUND, HE TOLD ME TO TAKE LEAD, AND HE CAME INTO THE SLOT POSITION (BEHIND TO 6 O'CLOCK). POS FOR LOST COMS SO I RELAYED TO CTR THAT I WAS #2 IN FLT, I WAS LEVEL 29000 FT. THEY HAD ME SQUAWK MY OWN CODE AND CONTINUE AT 29000 FT TO BOI. VARIOUS ATTEMPTS MADE AT COMMUNICATING WITH XA, AND I BECAME MY OWN FLT TILL LNDG. TURNED OUT THAT PLT HAD LOST OXYGEN AND HIS PAX RECOVERED THE T33 AT 18000 FT IN A HIGH SPD DSCNT. CTR FINALLY ESTABLISHED COM WITH PLT WHO HAD HYPOXIA AT 18000 FT AND I HEARD ON FREQ HE WAS OK. WE BOTH CONTINUED TO BOI UNEVENTFULLY. CORRECTIVE ACTION, OXYGEN TO 100 PERCENT, BUT FIRST MUST RECOGNIZE LOST OXYGEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.