Survival at High Altitudes: Wheel-Well Passengers

Veronneau, S. J. H.; Mohler, S.R.; Pennybaker, A. L.; Wilcox, B.C.; Sahiar, F

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Survival at High Altitudes: Wheel-Well Passengers

1996-10-01
By Veronneau, S. J. H. ; Mohler, S.R. ; Pennybaker, A. L.

File Language:

English

Details

Creators:

Veronneau, S. J. H. ; Mohler, S.R. ; Pennybaker, A. L. ; Wilcox, B.C. ; Sahiar, F
Corporate Creators:

United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Civil Aerospace Medical Institute ; Wright State University
Corporate Contributors:

United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Office of Aerospace Medicine
Subject/TRT Terms:
Publication/ Report Number:

DOT/FAA/AM-96/25
Resource Type:

Tech Report
Geographical Coverage:

United States
Corporate Publisher:

United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Abstract:

Ten specific "wheel-well" passenger stowaway flights (the wheel-well area was entered just before takeoff) are documented in the N.Y. Times, covering the period 1947 to 1993. Five stowaways survived flights encompassing altitudes as high as 39,000 feet, with six dying in the process (one flight had two stowaways: one fatal, one surviving). Three Douglas DC-8 and four Boeing 707 aircraft, plus a Caravelle, an unknown jet, and a piston airliner were utilized. Several of the wheel well flight stowaways were reported to be politically motivated to attempt these international flights. This paper describes the unpressurized flight environment and the physiology that enabled human survival under conditions of extreme hypoxia and cold (inducing a virtual ""hibernative"" state). It is likely that similar attempts will continue, and alert airport security preventive measures are indicated.
Format:

PDF
Download URL:

https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/57536/dot_57536_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 237.85 KB]
Collection(s):

FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:a6f735df66707ecd686009be23d4ae9b2c68a43cc5398a9bef4c2150663f3e66

File Language:

English

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