Carbon Monoxide On A Pinnacle Flight

[regionalcap]

The crew of a Pinnacle Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of Northwest Airlines, flight 9E-3947/NW-3947 from Minneapolis,MN to Cleveland,OH (USA) with 47 passengers and 3 crew, donned their oxygen masks while climbing through FL290 out of Minneapolis and reported that they were both feeling "different" sounding focussed on the task of flying the airplane but with great difficulty. They decided to divert to Grand Rapids,MI, where the controller cleared them to land on any runway of their choice. The crew asked the controller to assign the longest runway available with a headwind and to tell them the localizer frequency leading the controller to assign runway 26L, who then remarked they were already aligned and straight in for runway 08R with nearly calm winds, which was accepted by the crew. Later they reported they both got numb feet and numb toes, felt light headed and had trouble thinking. The airplane landed safely on Grand Rapids runway 08R 30 minutes after the onset of trouble.

Airport officials reported, they found traces of carbon monoxide in the cockpit air. The pilots recovered quickly and are fine again. None of the passengers or cabin crew was affected.

 

[crj567]

I'll bet a water separator sock was burning up. People smell these things stinkng all the time, and mx never actually fixes or replaces them.

 

[V-1]

Sounds like the crew did a great job handling an unusual event that wasn't rehearsed in the simulator before.

 

[COOPERVANE]

How did airport officials detect carbon monoxide? Someone in GRAND RAPIDS has a handheld CO detector?

Was it an Iphone app?

 

[Stifler's Mom]

How did airport officials detect carbon monoxide? Someone in GRAND RAPIDS has a handheld CO detector?

Was it an Iphone app?

Cabin door opens, and the plane is parked downwind of the 3 or 4 diesel engine firetrucks. "Wow, look at the CO levels, George. They're through the roof."

 

[TOOL CRIB]

Sounds like one of the FO's hair gel cans was leaking...

 

[CRJ puppy]

How did airport officials detect carbon monoxide? Someone in GRAND RAPIDS has a handheld CO detector?

Was it an Iphone app?

Actually these are quite common now and virtually all rescue departments have at least one or two...

 

[e=mc2]

Anybody think to give them a drug/alcohol test? Same symptoms, how about a blood test for CO? It binds quite a bit tighter than O2 so if exposed there would be CO in the blood.

Second thought did anybody check the FO's hair jel can??????????????

 

[xjgearbtch]

I'm sure the crew was sent to the hospital for blood work. That will answer any questions about carbon monoxide poisoning.

 

[LazyLightnin']

Second thought did anybody check the FO's hair jel can??????????????

I heard he took off on his skateboard before they could get ahold of him.