SoCal
Just discovered this was a turbocharged 270 HP Mooney Bravo with a service ceiling of 25000 feet. It is therefore very likely that he was cruising at FL250 and either ran out of oxygen or had a supply problem.
Having said that not all pilots would pass out at 25000 feet although their judgement would be severly impaired, smokers I beleive are at 5000 feet higher than non smokers so equivalent of 30K if a smoker. In tests in a pressure chamber some passed out at 25K others didnt with many factors effecting who did or didnt.
Pace
Last edited by Pace; 1st Oct 2009 at 07:48.