Claims He Was Partially Sucked Out When Window Broke At
20,000 feet
A flight nurse says he's lucky to be alive after he was
partially sucked out of a Piper Navajo last week when a side window
broke causing a rapid decompression.
The aircraft (similar to type shown above), registered to Conyan
Aviation, was flying as an air ambulance. It was reportedly at
20,000 feet while transporting a patient from Twin Falls, ID, to
Seattle last Wednesday. Chris Fogg, a critical care nurse, said he
got out of his seat to get his water bottle when the side window
where he was sitting "exploded" as he was sitting back down.
He said he hadn't yet buckled back in and his head and right arm
were sucked through the window, according to United Press
International.
"My left hand was on the ceiling and was holding me in, and my
knees were up against the wall," said Fogg. To break the seal, he
said he had to push as hard as he could to get enough air between
his chest and the window.
When he was able to return to his seat, Fogg said he noticed
blood coming from his head and he grabbed one of two pillows from
his patient and used it to apply pressure in an attempt to stop the
bleeding.
He said the pilot knew rapid decompression had occurred and
dropped the aircraft 10,000 feet, then made an emergency landing in
Boise where Fogg was taken to a local hospital where he received 13
stitches.
The patient, a Vietnam veteran, witnessed the incident but told
Fogg it caused some flashbacks of being shot out of the air. He was
never in any danger as he had oxygen on the whole time, Fogg
said.
Fogg credits his size, 6 feet tall and 220 pounds, with helping
keep him in the aircraft.
"It was pretty scary, I'll tell you that," Fogg said. "I have a
vivid picture of looking at the tail of the plane and seeing my
headset dangling out of the plane," he said.
"I guess it wasn't my day to die," he said. "For anyone else, I
think he would have been sucked completely out, but for some reason
I was spared, and I don't know why."
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 22DT
Make/Model: PA31 Description:
PA-31/31P Navajo, Navajo Chieftain, Chie
Date: 06/27/2007 Time: 1141
Event Type: Incident Highest Injury:
Minor Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Unknown
LOCATION
City: BOISE State: ID Country:
US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT ENROUTE AT 20,000 FT, SIDE WINDOW BROKE CAUSING
RAPID
DECOMPRESSION, PARAMEDIC ONBOARD WAS INJURED BY FLYING
DEBRIS, BOISE, ID
INJURY DATA Total
Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Pass: 1 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
1 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
WEATHER: BOI 2353Z 32008KT 10SM CLR 35/M03 A2988
OTHER DATA
Activity: Air Ambulance Phase:
Cruise Operation: Other
FAA FSDO: BOISE, ID
(NM11)
Entry date: 06/28/2007 #