Another ghost plane situation?

[KevinNYC]

Unresponsive Plane Crashes Off the Coast of Jamaica (http://abcnews.go.com/US/unresponsive-plane-crashes-off-coast-jamaica/story?id=25267369)


A turboprop plane flying from New York to Florida has crashed off the coast of Jamaica after the pilot, seen slumped over the controls, did not respond to radio calls for more than four hours.

Conflicting reports say two or three people were on board the plane, which left Rochester, New York, this morning bound for Naples, Florida.

The aircraft stopped responding to radio calls at 10 a.m. ET, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration and continued to fly until it crashed off the coast of Jamaica about this afternoon.

The U.S. Air Force dispatched two F-15 jets to shadow the plane until it entered Cuban airspace, according to a NORAD spokeswoman.

The fighter jets were initially supposed to fly around Cuba’s eastern end and wait in international airspace to pick up the trail, officials said. But the planes instead returned to base to refuel.

Fog was observed on the aircraft’s windows and the pilot was slumped over the controls, according to NORAD, which suggests those aboard were unconscious as the plane continued to fly.

sounds like another case of hypoxia

[nathanjizzle]

damn

[KevinNYC]

damn

http://abcnews.go.com/US/passed-pilot-asked-descend-lower-altitude/story?id=25267369

The plane's windows were frosted. That usually means depressurization of the cabit and thus lack of oxygen for the pilot.



The pilot of a small plane twice sought permission to fly at a lower altitude before he slumped over the controls, apparently unconscious as the plane flew for more than four hours before crashing into the sea off the coast of Jamaica.

But when asked by air traffic controllers if he wanted to declare an emergency, which would have made his request to descend a priority, the pilot said no, sources told ABC News. Shortly after that call, the pilot stopped responding.

Alarm over the plane that would not respond to radio calls prompted the Air Force to send two F-15 jets to shadow the plane. At one point one of the military pilots can be heard saying that the pilot of the turboprop was unconscious, but he appeared to be breathing.

"I can see his chest rising and falling. Right before I left, it was the first time we could see that he was actually breathing," the pilot said.