 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A mooney M20K private pilot loses consciousness when his oxygen hose unknowingly disconnects from the tank. He had time to disconnect the autoplt and start a descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 393326 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199802 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ztl airport : gvl |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | M-20 K (231) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 71 flight time total : 2789 flight time type : 2475 |
| ASRS Report | 393326 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
While at FL250 on an IFR flight plan from fll to anq, my oxygen line became disconnected from the regulator. I could hear the oxygen escaping and thought the regulator had not sealed on the portable tank behind the passenger seat. As I had changed tanks within the past 15 mins, I attempted to tighten the regulator but to no avail. I recognized hypoxia coming on, pulled power back, disconnected the autoplt and lost consciousness. I became conscious at 17000 ft, the plane was descending and in a bank. I leveled the plane and declared an emergency and told the controller I had lost my oxygen supply and had lost consciousness. I landed at the nearest airport (gnv). Upon landing I saw the line to the regulator had come off. I am in good health, do not smoke (except occasional cigar) nor drink. After landing, I felt fine with no known after effects. I had the plane flown back by another pilot and upon an AOPA attorney's advice I am making an appointment with an FAA medical examiner for a physical before flying again. I have since found that if the oxygen line is kinked the line will pop off the barbed fitting on the regulator, so in the future I will secure a clamp at this attachment.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A MOONEY M20K PVT PLT LOSES CONSCIOUSNESS WHEN HIS OXYGEN HOSE UNKNOWINGLY DISCONNECTS FROM THE TANK. HE HAD TIME TO DISCONNECT THE AUTOPLT AND START A DSCNT.
Narrative: WHILE AT FL250 ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM FLL TO ANQ, MY OXYGEN LINE BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE REGULATOR. I COULD HEAR THE OXYGEN ESCAPING AND THOUGHT THE REGULATOR HAD NOT SEALED ON THE PORTABLE TANK BEHIND THE PAX SEAT. AS I HAD CHANGED TANKS WITHIN THE PAST 15 MINS, I ATTEMPTED TO TIGHTEN THE REGULATOR BUT TO NO AVAIL. I RECOGNIZED HYPOXIA COMING ON, PULLED PWR BACK, DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND LOST CONSCIOUSNESS. I BECAME CONSCIOUS AT 17000 FT, THE PLANE WAS DSNDING AND IN A BANK. I LEVELED THE PLANE AND DECLARED AN EMER AND TOLD THE CTLR I HAD LOST MY OXYGEN SUPPLY AND HAD LOST CONSCIOUSNESS. I LANDED AT THE NEAREST ARPT (GNV). UPON LNDG I SAW THE LINE TO THE REGULATOR HAD COME OFF. I AM IN GOOD HEALTH, DO NOT SMOKE (EXCEPT OCCASIONAL CIGAR) NOR DRINK. AFTER LNDG, I FELT FINE WITH NO KNOWN AFTER EFFECTS. I HAD THE PLANE FLOWN BACK BY ANOTHER PLT AND UPON AN AOPA ATTORNEY'S ADVICE I AM MAKING AN APPOINTMENT WITH AN FAA MEDICAL EXAMINER FOR A PHYSICAL BEFORE FLYING AGAIN. I HAVE SINCE FOUND THAT IF THE OXYGEN LINE IS KINKED THE LINE WILL POP OFF THE BARBED FITTING ON THE REGULATOR, SO IN THE FUTURE I WILL SECURE A CLAMP AT THIS ATTACHMENT.
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.