What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Passenger choking while eating ? Heimlich Maneuver in an RV

RyanS

Active Member
Nothing gets your attention like seeing your child struggle to breathe. My son (7 years old) and I were on a 2 hour 10 minute cross county recently in our RV-9A. About an hour into the flight, while cruising with the autopilot on at about 8000? AGL, he told me he was hungry. I remembered a protein bar I had packed. I pulled it out and instructed him to break off ?pea-sized? pieces and eat them. What could go wrong?

A couple minutes later, I looked over and saw a distressed face looking slightly downward towards his knees. I asked, ?Are you OK?? He looked at me, very frightened and wiggled his head. ?Can you breathe?!? He shook his head side-to-side.

I immediately unhooked his seatbelt and pulled him onto my lap. I gave a quick thrust to his abdomen and then heard him speak. It was the most relieving words ever, ?Dad, I don?t have my seatbelt on!?

We were both very thankful this event turned out the way it did.


Reflecting back, I?m constantly monitoring my position on ForeFlight, so I knew the nearest airport. But, here are a few other thoughts I took away from that flight:

1. NO EATING IN THE AIRPLANE. EVER. Not even a bite. If we?re hungry, we?ll land.
2. Know the quickest safe way to get your airplane on the ground, without compounding the problem.
3. Keep on a radio frequency that can best help you in an emergency. If it?s an option, consider keeping 121.5 dialed in on your #2 radio.

Blue skies!
 
Glad to read this had a good outcome and he was sitting beside you and he was accessible. Way to go Dad! 👍🏻
 
Guilty

I think all of us are guilty of eating while flying, especially on long cross country flights. I usually have some fruit, a sandwich and other snacks on board.

Glad it worked out. For some of us, all we need to do is land to knock a blockage loose:roll eyes:

Good work!!!
 
I choked on a sandwich one day while flying a KingAir 350 over the Persian Gulf. Fortunately I was able to get out of the seat and save myself. The other pilot had no idea what I was doing, and then laughed at me when I climbed back into the seat. Sometimes Marines can be jerks:)

I am very happy that you were able to help your son. You are correct, a little plane is not a great place to be eating.
 
timely action

One of my flight students is a plastic surgeon. He won't even chew gum inflight. Said the choking hazard is a concern.
Glad you dealt with it. Oxygen to the brain is so critical, that I am afraid the nearest airport, the best frequency etc... asking for help is all pointless.
Getting the airway open, as you did... saved his life.
Some dual instruction from a medical source is prudent too. Most of us are equipped with oxygen onboard and nasal canulas. A mask is usually part of the kit... but not used until 18K ft.
In a medical emergency... putting a mask on a patient and cranking full flow just might prevent brain damage, until you can get more assistance.
 
Last edited:
Bad memory

Boy this story brought back a bad memory. Back in the late 90's the wife and I took our Cherokee on vacation. We spent a day and night in Sante Fe, then headed for Sedona and the Grand Canyon. About a third of the way to Sedona, the wife pops one of those red striped peppermint candies like you get at Sonic Drive-in's into her mouth. A few minutes later she started coughing and gagging. It got real serious real quick. We were in the middle of nowhere with nothing below us but the I 40 interstate and its median. I started losing altitude and tuned to 121.5. The look on her face was scary. She bent forward in her coughing attack and I hit her hard on the back a few times and fortunately the offending culprit was dislodged. We didn't eat in the airplane for a long time afterwards.
Thanks for posting and reminding us that little things can become a big problem while airborne.

Joe
 
I?m sure happy this turned out ok!!! I fly an RV-4 and no one has ever eaten in it on my watch, a side by side would be better but you?re lucky this was a child, helping a full grown man would be a problem.
 
Choking

Way to go! Glad all is well.

Just an FYI for VAF.
Last first aid training, 2015, the recommendation was back slaps before the Heimlick.
 
I've thought about this often. I may have food in the plane but I can't bring myself to eating while flying. Most of the time I'm alone so there's no way to get the help you'll need. Until the RV is flying I'm in a 152 so even with a passenger the hymnic isn't an option. I thought I was just being paranoid but after reading this I guess I was being a good pilot.
 
I know first hand of a near choking event in a light plane. Only one aboard for the event I know of. Tandem or side by side no factor there. Made me think a little more bit about eating in the plane. Interesting, it seems I now know of two seriously potential events from choking/eating in a plane. But know of zero from pilot incapacitation, as related to an FAA medical certification... Clearly the FAA should make more rules!! How about mandatory placards in the cockpit - "Food Free Zone."
 
Last edited:
3. Keep on a radio frequency that can best help you in an emergency. If it’s an option, consider keeping 121.5 dialed in on your #2 radio.

Most airlines keep 121.5 tuned in and active on the 2nd radio while in cruise. It's great in case you need to transmit on it, but it's also very helpful if you miss a frequency change and haven't noticed you're in the abyss with no one talking to you, since ATC at some point will transmit on that to try to find you. (This obi relates mostly to IFR flights).

Unfortunately a lot of airline pilots are so bored they have nothing better to do than be 'guard police' but whatever... to each their own.

Anyways, if you have a 2nd radio and you can tune to it. I can't see much better uses than activating a listening on 121.5 just while you have nothing better to do.
 
Back
Top