Hypoxia, Another Story.
In earlier issues of Cockpit Concepts we looked at the topic of hypoxia and referred to the Ready Room topic, Decompression Incident | Boeing 727-290. Because of the insidious nature of oxygen depravation, the cockpit situation on this US scheduled airline flight became chaotic--the captain incapacitated and incoherent, the flight engineer slumped over the console and the flight attendant unconscious on the deck. The inexperienced first officer, with only 10 hours in type, responded by donning his oxygen mask and commencing an immediate descent, saving the flight.

Another incident appeared as an article in Soviet Life (now Russian Life) circa 1990. It was reported in another aviation forum and can't be verified. Nevertheless, the story is instructive. It seems that Soviet pilots were required to pass a routine medical preflight (for intoxication) in this military organization. The cargo jet's crew members were still inebriated and didn't report for their preflight checks. Instead, somehow they managed to board the airplane in the run-up area through its rear hatch. The hatch was not properly secured and, as the airplane climbed to altitude, a slow loss in pressure resulted. All aboard lost consciousness. Eventually the cargo jet ran out of fuel and slowly descended. At lower altitude the cockpit crew regained consciousness and ended up making an "heroic" deadstick landing.

Neither of these incidents resulted in tragedy and, as a result, we are able to find humor in the stories. Plus, there are lessons to be learned. What is striking to me is the ineffectiveness of these pilots' high altitude training. In this era with its emphasis on team concepts and dynamics we can't neglect individual responsibility. Regardless of deficiencies in training provided, we need to know our personal strengths and limitations imposed on us in the aviation environment, and be committed to act accordingly. A large degree of self examination and mental preparedness is required to bear this responsibility (as the 727's FO was able to do).

Off the soapbox.

--Bob Jenney (rmj@aviation.org)
 

The nearest thing to flying without leaving the ground