10
On August 14, 2018, Andy Crabtree was working
the Controller in Charge position (CIC) in the
Flint Hills Area at Kansas City Center (ZKC). At
approximately noon, the controller working Sector
62 noticed a possible problem with an aircraft
under his control.
N2744Y, a Cessna 340, was traveling at Flight
Level 230 deviating around thunderstorms
trying to get to South Greenwood airport in
Indianapolis, IN. The controller working sector
62 issued multiple control instructions to
the aircraft, trying to vector him around a
line of thunderstorms. When it was clear the
pilot of N2744Y was not following the control
instructions and still headed toward a line of
storms, the controller asked Crabtree for help.
Crabtree quickly grabbed a headset and started
listening to the aircraft in question. Based on
the sluggishness of the pilot responses, Crabtree
inferred that he could be suffering from hypoxia.
Crabtree has been a pilot for 20 years and has
been trained to recognize the early warning
signs of hypoxia. Andy sprang into action to help
the sector 62 controller aid this pilot in need.
Crabtree instructed the controller to relay life
saving measures to the pilot. He was told to put
on an oxygen mask, and the controller started
issuing descent control instructions. As the pilot
regained composure from increased oxygen and
a descent to 10,000 feet, he was able to avoid
the line of thunderstorms and keep control of the
aircraft.
CENTRAL REGION
Andrew Crabtree, Kansas City Center
