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Reporter states that C172 pilot was feeling the beginning effects of hypoxia when they requested wrong VFR altitude for direction of flight.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 437640 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199905 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : pxn.vortac |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 12500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 15 flight time total : 550 |
| ASRS Report | 437640 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Aircraft at 11500 ft sebound asked if it was ok to climb to 12500 ft to get better winds. Seemed to know 12500 ft was wrong altitude for his direction of flight but didn't want to go to 13500 ft because he did not have oxygen. We stated 'maintain VFR altitudes your discretion.' due to the beginning effects of hypoxia, the pilot was willing to break another rule! The aircraft didn't stay long at 12500 ft before descending back to 11500 ft (the winds were no better). His tone of voice also suggested he was looking for approval for the 12500 ft wrong altitude for direction from us.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTR STATES THAT C172 PLT WAS FEELING THE BEGINNING EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA WHEN THEY REQUESTED WRONG VFR ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT.
Narrative: ACFT AT 11500 FT SEBOUND ASKED IF IT WAS OK TO CLB TO 12500 FT TO GET BETTER WINDS. SEEMED TO KNOW 12500 FT WAS WRONG ALT FOR HIS DIRECTION OF FLT BUT DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO 13500 FT BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE OXYGEN. WE STATED 'MAINTAIN VFR ALTS YOUR DISCRETION.' DUE TO THE BEGINNING EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA, THE PLT WAS WILLING TO BREAK ANOTHER RULE! THE ACFT DIDN'T STAY LONG AT 12500 FT BEFORE DSNDING BACK TO 11500 FT (THE WINDS WERE NO BETTER). HIS TONE OF VOICE ALSO SUGGESTED HE WAS LOOKING FOR APPROVAL FOR THE 12500 FT WRONG ALT FOR DIRECTION FROM US.
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.