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ARTCC controller assists pilot to a safe landing after pilot suffered from hypoxia and became disoriented because of a lack of oxygen.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 418004 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199810 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pga |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna Twin Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 11 controller radar : 11 |
| ASRS Report | 418004 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : regained aircraft control other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Aircraft X experienced oxygen problems and was disoriented with hypoxia requesting descent from FL250 to 13000 ft. I issued the clearance but aircraft X couldn't descend the aircraft due to his inability to focus. A flight instructor came to the sector and talked the aircraft into a descent and the pilot recovered, changed his destination to a closer airport and landed safety. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that a 400 series cessna pilot at FL250 said he was becoming disoriented with hypoxia because of oxygen problems and requested assistance. The reporter said he immediately issued a descent clearance to the pilot. The pilot said he couldn't descend because he wasn't able to focus on what he was doing. The controller called the supervisor and asked him to find someone familiar with C414 aircraft. He said he kept the pilot conscious by talking to him and asking questions. The supervisor located a controller qualified and type rated in twin cessnas to assist. The pilot controller instructed the pilot to disengage his autoplt which would start the aircraft down. At around 16000 ft the pilot started to regain full consciousness. It was later learned that a circuit breaker had caused the oxygen problem. The aircraft landed safely 25 NM northeast of pga airport. The pilot was flying alone with no passenger.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC CTLR ASSISTS PLT TO A SAFE LNDG AFTER PLT SUFFERED FROM HYPOXIA AND BECAME DISORIENTED BECAUSE OF A LACK OF OXYGEN.
Narrative: ACFT X EXPERIENCED OXYGEN PROBS AND WAS DISORIENTED WITH HYPOXIA REQUESTING DSCNT FROM FL250 TO 13000 FT. I ISSUED THE CLRNC BUT ACFT X COULDN'T DSND THE ACFT DUE TO HIS INABILITY TO FOCUS. A FLT INSTRUCTOR CAME TO THE SECTOR AND TALKED THE ACFT INTO A DSCNT AND THE PLT RECOVERED, CHANGED HIS DEST TO A CLOSER ARPT AND LANDED SAFETY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT A 400 SERIES CESSNA PLT AT FL250 SAID HE WAS BECOMING DISORIENTED WITH HYPOXIA BECAUSE OF OXYGEN PROBS AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE. THE RPTR SAID HE IMMEDIATELY ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC TO THE PLT. THE PLT SAID HE COULDN'T DSND BECAUSE HE WASN'T ABLE TO FOCUS ON WHAT HE WAS DOING. THE CTLR CALLED THE SUPVR AND ASKED HIM TO FIND SOMEONE FAMILIAR WITH C414 ACFT. HE SAID HE KEPT THE PLT CONSCIOUS BY TALKING TO HIM AND ASKING QUESTIONS. THE SUPVR LOCATED A CTLR QUALIFIED AND TYPE RATED IN TWIN CESSNAS TO ASSIST. THE PLT CTLR INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO DISENGAGE HIS AUTOPLT WHICH WOULD START THE ACFT DOWN. AT AROUND 16000 FT THE PLT STARTED TO REGAIN FULL CONSCIOUSNESS. IT WAS LATER LEARNED THAT A CIRCUIT BREAKER HAD CAUSED THE OXYGEN PROB. THE ACFT LANDED SAFELY 25 NM NE OF PGA ARPT. THE PLT WAS FLYING ALONE WITH NO PAX.
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.