Pilot Dan Bass reflects on a haunting flight in his Mooney when he was overcome by carbon monoxide poisoning and lost consciousness while airborne. In this real pilot story, Dan shares the incredible tale of the collective circumstances that led to the accident and his miraculous survival after he woke up in a snow-covered field in the bitter February cold. He reviews the lessons he learned, including the importance of installing a carbon monoxide detector to prevent a similar mishap from occurring.
ASI’s Real Pilot Stories allow pilots to share their encounter with a dilemma so others can benefit—while comfortable on the ground—from lessons learned the hard way in flight.
CO is a gas that has no odor or color and it is therefore difficult to detect and deadly dangerous.
Review the Deadly CO article.
Review the NTSB Calls for Carbon Monoxide Alerting Requirement.
We share a deep passion for aviation safety. As compassionate pilots, we bring together safety research, analysis, and knowledge in creative ways to share aviation safety education with you—with the ultimate goal of one day having zero fatal accidents in GA. If you find this information valuable, please consider a donation to support our work.