SPECIAL TO THE ALASKA MINER In the skies above Anchorage, wit- YP^^P^ bL_NSPO L^ L ;ZWL] .`M ʮPb low and erratic. Suddenly, the aircraft crashed and burned, killing the pilot. Toxicology tests revealed that the pi- lot’s carbon monoxide level was 48%; the average level for humans is less than 2%. The National Transportation Safe- ty Board (NTSB) found the contributing cause of the accident to be a fractured exhaust system, which allowed carbon monoxide to enter the cockpit. Unfortunately, this was not an iso- lated incident. In Bethel, the pilot of a Cessna 207 died when his plane crashed into the Kwethluk River. Tox- icology tests revealed the pilot’s car- bon monoxide level was 37%, and the NTSB investigation concluded that the exhaust system was improperly in- stalled, allowing carbon monoxide to enter the cockpit. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, col- orless gas that is a by-product of inter- nal combustion engines. Many internal combustion engine airplanes are heated by air that has been warmed by circulat- ing air around the exhaust system using a heater shroud. A defect or leak in the PcSL`^_[T[P^Z]X`ʰP]NLYTY_]ZO`NP carbon monoxide into the cockpit. Con- tinued exposure increases risks to avi- ators, including impaired judgement, oxygen starvation, loss of control, and eventually incapacitation and death. In 1985, the State of Alaska Depart- ment of Epidemiology did a study of 55 single-engine airplanes in Anchorage. ?SP ʮTRS_ _P^_^ bP]P ^SZ]_ `^`LWWd less than 45 minutes. Of the aircraft studied, 12.7% appeared to expose the occupants to increased levels of car- bon monoxide. It follows that car- Alaskan pilots face potentially deadly threat
bon monoxide levels in these cockpits were extremely high _ZLʬPN__SPZNN`[LY_^^Z^TR - YTʭNLY_WdLQ_P]ʮTRS_^ZQ^`NS short duration. As Alaska’s ʮPP_ ZQ LT][WLYP^ LRP^ T_ T^ highly probable that the issue has only worsened with time. Crowley Fuels, one of Alas- ka’s leading fuel distribution companies, recognized this issue while monitoring in- dustry news and speaking with customers — and is do- ing something about it. In August 2017, Crowley Fuels started a program to of- fer free passive carbon mon- oxide detectors to customers. To date, Crowley has distrib- uted 2,000 detectors to the Alaska aviation community; there are 7,000 aircraft regis- tered in Alaska. ɭBP SLaP NZYʭ]XPO _S]PP possible lives saved to date — two pilots who reported cracks
in the exhaust systems and one driver of an automobile,” said Don King, a senior aviation account executive at Crowley. “Our goal is to have these de- tectors available to all aircraft owners across the state.” “Safety is a core Crowley val- ue,” King continued. “Crowley employees are trained to rec- ognize and correct potential hazards when something is not right. Everyone at Crowley has the authority and obligation to stop work if they believe it is not safe. When we recognize a hazard in our environment or with our customers, we are trained to look for solutions.” To request a carbon mon- oxide detector from Crow- ley Fuels, visit the Crowley website. To learn more about Crowley’s products, services and commitment to safety, visit CrowleyFuels.com.
More Than Copper www.trilogymetals.com Naturally Diversified
Focused on Developing the High-Grade Ambler Mining District An Emerging World Class Copper, Zinc, Cobalt and Precious Metals District
April 2019
The Alaska Miner
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