In 1999, a Learjet lost cabin pressure, flew on autopilot across the country, and tragically crashed in South Dakota. Professional golfer Payne Stewart and five others died.
The mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in 2014 also raised theories of hypoxia-induced decompression, potentially causing the loss of all passengers and crew members.
A 2005 crash in Greece, where a Cypriot airliner’s pilots failed to set a manual setting on the pressurization system, led to another hypoxia tragedy and the loss of 121 lives,
These tragic crashes serve as sobering reminders of the importance of oxygen management in flight. By learning from past tragedies, the industry can strive for safer skies for all.
Hypoxia: An Unseen Threat in the Skies
Hypoxia, a condition where the brain is deprived of adequate oxygen, is always suspect in aviation accidents.
According to the FAA, it can occur when a non-pressurized aircraft ascends above 10,000 feet without supplemental oxygen. And if the flight experiences rapid decompression or malfunctions in the oxygen or pressurization systems.
