[IFly4Him]

Yep - if you fly a plane, you can't have the mentality that you need permission to deal with an emergency. Deal with it promptly and then notify ATC. What happened here was akin to knowing that you're having a heart attack, but rather than call 9-1-1, you call HHS first to get permission to use your Obamacare.

In depressurization scenarios, I've always thought leaving the plane on autopilot was probably the best course of action. Get the power back and set the altitude capture for 10K ft in case you pass out.

[Moonman62]

In depressurization scenarios, I’ve always thought leaving the plane on autopilot was probably the best course of action. Get the power back and set the altitude capture for 10K ft in case you pass out.

I think that is formal procedure taught to airline pilots.

In this case the pilot had an indication of a problem. He was probably in denial. With hindsight he should have declared an emergency and descended immediately. He didn’t declare an emergency so the controller took his time giving him a lower altitude.

[txhurl]

Yesterday while this was happening there were two large Mesoscale Covective Compexes off the coast of SC... if he flew between them and cloud-to-cloud lightning enveloped the plane, maybe the pressurization system’s electronics were fried.