SURVIVAL AT HIGH ALTITUDES: WHEEL-WELL PASSENGERS

Ten specific "wheel-well" passenger stowaway flights (the wheel-well area was entered just before takeoff) are documented in the New York 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.

• Record URL:
  http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/1990s/media/am96-25.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/57536
• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Aviation Administration

  Office of Aerospace Medicine, 800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591

  Wright State University

  Department of Community Health
  Dayton, OH  United States  45435-0001
• Authors:
  • Veronneau, SJH
  • Mohler, S R
  • Pennybaker, A L
  • Wilcox, B C
  • Sahiar, F
• Publication Date: 1996-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 7 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aircraft; Altitude; Fatalities; Hypothermia; Hypoxia; International travel; Low temperature; Passengers; Physiology; Pressure; Security; Stowaways; Survival
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Passenger Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00932869
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT/FAA/AM-96/25
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 22 2002 12:00AM