Narrative:

I flew via GPS. After about 1 hour of flight, I found myself closing my eyes and wanting to sleep. I also noticed some stomach cramping and slight muscle pain or spasms. All of this seemed to indicate the start of carbon monoxide poisoning which I have had 4 other times in my life. I also knew of these symptoms from an FAA wings program I attended. I then checked to see if the 'co' detector in the cabin, mounted on my instrument panel, had a positive 'co' indication. It did not. I then opened the pilot's window, and wing root vents for fresh air. Mentally projecting the flight to the destination, with this physical discomfort I felt that it may be risky, especially if I had to fly the GPS approach to minimums. It was then I decided to make the safest choice, and request permission to land at nearby ZZZ. Because I was changing my IFR flight plan, and because I confessed I was not feeling well, approach asked if I was 'declaring an emergency.' I replied a firm 'no' and then I was asked if I needed assistance, which I also replied 'no.' they vectored me lower and set me up for ILS approach. After a smooth landing, I taxied to the FBO where there were several crash vehicles, an ambulance and other official vehicles waiting for me to shut down my engine. Before I even had the seatbelt unbuckled, the door opened and I was asked my name, had an oxygen mask attached to my mouth and nose, and my finger was put into an 'oxygen meter.' after 3 mins the meter sensor was removed from my finger with the announcement by the medical technician that it was '90%,' and they had me situation in the ambulance. They completed paperwork with me while I continued the oxygen and they found I was quite cognizant. I was released and rented a car at the FBO. Before getting on highway, I stopped to buy a hamburger since I was very hungry. This food immediately improved my physical condition, and I realized that this may have all been caused by low blood sugar and hunger. I am not a diabetic, and in excellent health. My conclusions of these events: 1) it pays to be cautious and pay attention to obvious warning signs. 2) eat a good breakfast, especially before flight. 3) confess your situation. 4) do the safest thing available -- in this case, ask to land at the earliest opportunity. 5) remember that changing to daylight savings time throws one's body clock off schedule for at least 3 weeks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C206 PLT DIVERTS FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG DUE TO PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT.

Narrative: I FLEW VIA GPS. AFTER ABOUT 1 HR OF FLT, I FOUND MYSELF CLOSING MY EYES AND WANTING TO SLEEP. I ALSO NOTICED SOME STOMACH CRAMPING AND SLIGHT MUSCLE PAIN OR SPASMS. ALL OF THIS SEEMED TO INDICATE THE START OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING WHICH I HAVE HAD 4 OTHER TIMES IN MY LIFE. I ALSO KNEW OF THESE SYMPTOMS FROM AN FAA WINGS PROGRAM I ATTENDED. I THEN CHKED TO SEE IF THE 'CO' DETECTOR IN THE CABIN, MOUNTED ON MY INST PANEL, HAD A POSITIVE 'CO' INDICATION. IT DID NOT. I THEN OPENED THE PLT'S WINDOW, AND WING ROOT VENTS FOR FRESH AIR. MENTALLY PROJECTING THE FLT TO THE DEST, WITH THIS PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT I FELT THAT IT MAY BE RISKY, ESPECIALLY IF I HAD TO FLY THE GPS APCH TO MINIMUMS. IT WAS THEN I DECIDED TO MAKE THE SAFEST CHOICE, AND REQUEST PERMISSION TO LAND AT NEARBY ZZZ. BECAUSE I WAS CHANGING MY IFR FLT PLAN, AND BECAUSE I CONFESSED I WAS NOT FEELING WELL, APCH ASKED IF I WAS 'DECLARING AN EMER.' I REPLIED A FIRM 'NO' AND THEN I WAS ASKED IF I NEEDED ASSISTANCE, WHICH I ALSO REPLIED 'NO.' THEY VECTORED ME LOWER AND SET ME UP FOR ILS APCH. AFTER A SMOOTH LNDG, I TAXIED TO THE FBO WHERE THERE WERE SEVERAL CRASH VEHICLES, AN AMBULANCE AND OTHER OFFICIAL VEHICLES WAITING FOR ME TO SHUT DOWN MY ENG. BEFORE I EVEN HAD THE SEATBELT UNBUCKLED, THE DOOR OPENED AND I WAS ASKED MY NAME, HAD AN OXYGEN MASK ATTACHED TO MY MOUTH AND NOSE, AND MY FINGER WAS PUT INTO AN 'OXYGEN METER.' AFTER 3 MINS THE METER SENSOR WAS REMOVED FROM MY FINGER WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE MEDICAL TECHNICIAN THAT IT WAS '90%,' AND THEY HAD ME SIT IN THE AMBULANCE. THEY COMPLETED PAPERWORK WITH ME WHILE I CONTINUED THE OXYGEN AND THEY FOUND I WAS QUITE COGNIZANT. I WAS RELEASED AND RENTED A CAR AT THE FBO. BEFORE GETTING ON HWY, I STOPPED TO BUY A HAMBURGER SINCE I WAS VERY HUNGRY. THIS FOOD IMMEDIATELY IMPROVED MY PHYSICAL CONDITION, AND I REALIZED THAT THIS MAY HAVE ALL BEEN CAUSED BY LOW BLOOD SUGAR AND HUNGER. I AM NOT A DIABETIC, AND IN EXCELLENT HEALTH. MY CONCLUSIONS OF THESE EVENTS: 1) IT PAYS TO BE CAUTIOUS AND PAY ATTN TO OBVIOUS WARNING SIGNS. 2) EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST, ESPECIALLY BEFORE FLT. 3) CONFESS YOUR SIT. 4) DO THE SAFEST THING AVAILABLE -- IN THIS CASE, ASK TO LAND AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY. 5) REMEMBER THAT CHANGING TO DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME THROWS ONE'S BODY CLOCK OFF SCHEDULE FOR AT LEAST 3 WKS.

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.