“Just prior to being attacked, the 747 had been cruising at an altitude around 35,000 feet. When the missile exploded, KAL 007’s tail was pushed downward which at the same time lifted its nose causing a brief altitude gain before it began to descend from 18:26 until recording ceased at 18:27:46. Capt. Chun was able to turn off the autopilot (18:26:46) and it is unknown whether he was able to regain any measure of control[8] as the aircraft spiraled toward the ocean around 5 miles (8 km) below after the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder stopped functioning. The final moments of the crash remain a matter of conjecture; some evidence suggests that the pilot may have attempted a controlled and ultimately unsuccessful ‘ditching’ into the ocean, or the aircraft may have crashed out of the pilot’s control.”
One does not immediately lose consciousness at that altitude. We don’t know what happened on board, but if they were conscious for the entire descent it’s a long time to stare death in the eye.
I was referring to the theoretical passenger blown out of an airplane.
Nobody really knows what happened to the jet, because most of the wreckage was never found and as you noted the flight recorders died shortly after the descent began.
If the jet lost pressurization and the oxygen masks didn’t drop in time, and/or the oxygen system was damaged, most of those on board would have been unconscious within 30 seconds at 35,000 feet, if I recall the tables correctly.
Soviet doctrine of the time prescribed the firing of missiles in staggered pairs (one radar homer, one heat-seeker) to increase the chance of a hit, and to keep firing until the pilot was out of ammunition, the target was positively destroyed, or the ground controller ordered the engagement aborted. If I recall correctly, evidence seems to indicate that of the first launched pair, the IR homer missed, but the radar missile hit in the rear fuselage (which is where you would expect). My guess is that this either weakened the airframe which later maneuvers by the pilot overstressed - or the 747 ate a couple more missiles after that as it was still flying. An additional rear hit that perhaps blew off the tail would account for the data recorder (which is mounted in the tail) stop.