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GA pilot felt ill at cruise altitude and descended from 12000' to 8000 before he was able to contact ARTCC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 95222 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198809 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gqe |
| State Reference | AR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 728 flight time type : 24 |
| ASRS Report | 95222 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Flying level at 12000' I became light headed and called center 3 times on the current frequency. I could not reach them and felt it was necessary to immediately descend. I then descended and called them on a previous frequency, 132.5 (mem). I reached them this time, explained my dilemma and was cleared to 8000'. I continued to feel ill and requested an immediate landing at west memphis, ar. ZME approach was then very helpful and I landed west/O incidence. I had the plane checked out both there and in st louis and carbon monoxide could have been the problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: maintenance found a faulty pressurization valve that could have been leaking co into the cabin. Several exhaust fittings were tightened and the aircraft was flown to home base unpressurized with no ill effects to the pilot. When contact was made with ARTCC they were very helpful asking reporter if his fingers were blue and suggesting he open his cockpit windows. Reporter says he is not hesitant about declaring an emergency but didn't ever think of using his transponder for this. Reporter has been flying for 20 yrs but this aircraft and a transponder is new to him and he is still learning to use all the new equipment.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA PLT FELT ILL AT CRUISE ALT AND DESCENDED FROM 12000' TO 8000 BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO CONTACT ARTCC.
Narrative: FLYING LEVEL AT 12000' I BECAME LIGHT HEADED AND CALLED CENTER 3 TIMES ON THE CURRENT FREQ. I COULD NOT REACH THEM AND FELT IT WAS NECESSARY TO IMMEDIATELY DSND. I THEN DSNDED AND CALLED THEM ON A PREVIOUS FREQ, 132.5 (MEM). I REACHED THEM THIS TIME, EXPLAINED MY DILEMMA AND WAS CLRED TO 8000'. I CONTINUED TO FEEL ILL AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE LNDG AT WEST MEMPHIS, AR. ZME APCH WAS THEN VERY HELPFUL AND I LANDED W/O INCIDENCE. I HAD THE PLANE CHKED OUT BOTH THERE AND IN ST LOUIS AND CARBON MONOXIDE COULD HAVE BEEN THE PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: MAINT FOUND A FAULTY PRESSURIZATION VALVE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN LEAKING CO INTO THE CABIN. SEVERAL EXHAUST FITTINGS WERE TIGHTENED AND THE ACFT WAS FLOWN TO HOME BASE UNPRESSURIZED WITH NO ILL EFFECTS TO THE PLT. WHEN CONTACT WAS MADE WITH ARTCC THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL ASKING RPTR IF HIS FINGERS WERE BLUE AND SUGGESTING HE OPEN HIS COCKPIT WINDOWS. RPTR SAYS HE IS NOT HESITANT ABOUT DECLARING AN EMER BUT DIDN'T EVER THINK OF USING HIS TRANSPONDER FOR THIS. RPTR HAS BEEN FLYING FOR 20 YRS BUT THIS ACFT AND A TRANSPONDER IS NEW TO HIM AND HE IS STILL LEARNING TO USE ALL THE NEW EQUIP.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.