Originally Posted by
Red_giant
Potentially slow Decompression
Potentially a medical incapacitation or even a subtle fumes incapacitation to name but three possible causes. We understand everything from the crash site is completely destroyed so there is no evidence to learn from. Given that it is probable the cause will remain a mystery.
Here's an idea.... Aside from Helios (where there were several other factors involved), public transport aircraft don't usually suffer from pilot incapacitation due to subtle decompression (due 2 pilots & better alerting systems). Notwithstanding, to make them more robust a downlink of cabin altitude could be added to CPDLC to warn controllers of an impending situation. I hit some turbulence once on the NAT tracks in a 744 and the AP coped well with going up and down +/- 250'. Within moments of hitting the turbulence we got a CPDLC message from Gander requesting..... 'CONFIRM MAINTAINING FL360'. It was comforting to know that Big Brother was watching and Flight Safety was enhanced.
The frequency of decompression accidents is very much higher in the bizjet community, even more so considering the smaller number of flights compared to commercial. As a stop-gap perhaps mandate modified transponders that have their own integral baro capsule. They could be rigged to squawk (say) 7400 in the event of cabin altitude above 14,000 feet. That might save the occasional single pilot 'Zombie' accident. It would certainly alert ATC to the possibility of an unguided aircraft they would need to clear other traffic away from.
Anyone remember the call from ATC... 'Oxygen! Oxygen! Oxygen! '