Narrative:

I had filed for 13000 ft to get over top of cle airspace without having to go way out of my way and avoid the airspace altogether. This would be my first time flying above 10000 ft and having the ability to do so. After my departure out of duh I was given clearance by tol to 11000 ft for approximately 10 mins. ZOB then gave me clearance up to 13000 ft MSL to cruise. About 40 mins into the flight; my passenger noted his hands were turning blue however there were no other signs of hypoxia. At that time I had requested descent to a lower altitude fearing hypoxic conditions were setting in. We were cleared to descend to 11000 ft by ZOB and were told to contact buf approach for our final descent into 9g0. After contacting buf approach we were cleared to 5000 ft. Before reaching 5000 ft we were cleared down to 3000 ft and that symptom had disappeared. It was not until after I had returned from my trip that I learned I had violated a rule by my superior at work. The cause of the problem was due to inexperience of flying at higher altitudes where the supplemental oxygen rules take effect. Nothing had keyed me in to go on supplemental oxygen at altitude because I've never had any actual experience in the first place. In order to prevent this from happening in the future; I would suggest actual supplemental oxygen training in the private pilot license course. To me; experience is key to preventing mistakes like this one. To become more familiar with operations at higher altitudes; I am going to seek additional training in flight physiology and the use of supplemental oxygen. I will receive logged dual instruction in the air and on the ground as well as any tutorials that may be available; including any from the air safety foundation.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C182 FLIES ABOVE 12500 FT WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN. PAX EXHIBITS SIGNS OF HYPOXIA AND A LOWER ALT IS REQUESTED.

Narrative: I HAD FILED FOR 13000 FT TO GET OVER TOP OF CLE AIRSPACE WITHOUT HAVING TO GO WAY OUT OF MY WAY AND AVOID THE AIRSPACE ALTOGETHER. THIS WOULD BE MY FIRST TIME FLYING ABOVE 10000 FT AND HAVING THE ABILITY TO DO SO. AFTER MY DEP OUT OF DUH I WAS GIVEN CLRNC BY TOL TO 11000 FT FOR APPROX 10 MINS. ZOB THEN GAVE ME CLRNC UP TO 13000 FT MSL TO CRUISE. ABOUT 40 MINS INTO THE FLT; MY PAX NOTED HIS HANDS WERE TURNING BLUE HOWEVER THERE WERE NO OTHER SIGNS OF HYPOXIA. AT THAT TIME I HAD REQUESTED DSCNT TO A LOWER ALT FEARING HYPOXIC CONDITIONS WERE SETTING IN. WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 11000 FT BY ZOB AND WERE TOLD TO CONTACT BUF APCH FOR OUR FINAL DSCNT INTO 9G0. AFTER CONTACTING BUF APCH WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT. BEFORE REACHING 5000 FT WE WERE CLRED DOWN TO 3000 FT AND THAT SYMPTOM HAD DISAPPEARED. IT WAS NOT UNTIL AFTER I HAD RETURNED FROM MY TRIP THAT I LEARNED I HAD VIOLATED A RULE BY MY SUPERIOR AT WORK. THE CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS DUE TO INEXPERIENCE OF FLYING AT HIGHER ALTS WHERE THE SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN RULES TAKE EFFECT. NOTHING HAD KEYED ME IN TO GO ON SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN AT ALT BECAUSE I'VE NEVER HAD ANY ACTUAL EXPERIENCE IN THE FIRST PLACE. IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE; I WOULD SUGGEST ACTUAL SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN TRAINING IN THE PVT PLT LICENSE COURSE. TO ME; EXPERIENCE IS KEY TO PREVENTING MISTAKES LIKE THIS ONE. TO BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH OPS AT HIGHER ALTS; I AM GOING TO SEEK ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN FLT PHYSIOLOGY AND THE USE OF SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN. I WILL RECEIVE LOGGED DUAL INSTRUCTION IN THE AIR AND ON THE GND AS WELL AS ANY TUTORIALS THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE; INCLUDING ANY FROM THE AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.