Of all people to run out of O2, an anesthesiologist?

[purkey]

Looks like he went up to FL190 and must have lost consciousness. Either he wasn't monitoring the O2 in the plane, didn't carry a oximeter, or both. Probably a low time pilot but that is a guess on my part. Not sure why you'd go to 19,000 feet for a trip that short...pwa to gtu. Not that far and these little piston aircraft are capable of gettting there but the pilots may not be. He got about halfway there and then went about 30 degrees to his left and ended up way out in the gulf. Chase planes said he was humped over and didn't respond to them in any way. Good thing he was alone. Now, maybe he had a heart attack or something else....we will never know. Similar to the Payne Stewart accident but Payne was in a pressurized jet with a couple of pilots who were riders.

 

[JonnyVito]

Very sad story as he was flying dogs from either a rescue to people adopting them or was moving them from one rescue to another. He was doing charity work. Very sad for a lot of doctors in OKC.

 

[BigBobBarker]

Bill taught me to do spinals/epidurals when I was an intern at baptist. He mentored me on a project as well. He would do two 24hour OB anesthesia shifts a week back then. Still have his contact in my phone from back then. He flew twice a week from what I hear. Smart guy was probably writing off his extensive hobby flying for the nonprofit dog rescue.

I agree it seemed like he was flying very high. He couldn’t fly that high with the dog on the way back. I can’t imagine he didn’t have 02 going that high. Anesthesiologist would use an oximetet and O2 going that high. I read an article saying he began flying in his brothers memory who died 4 years ago. Maybe he had a cardiac event. We will never know.

 

[gipraw]

He helped one the of rescues I work with several times. Never met him, but the people that did interact with him have nothing but great things to say. Sad deal.

 

[WCPoke]

Looks like he went up to FL190 and must have lost consciousness. Either he wasn't monitoring the O2 in the plane, didn't carry a oximeter, or both. Probably a low time pilot but that is a guess on my part. Not sure why you'd go to 19,000 feet for a trip that short...pwa to gtu. Not that far and these little piston aircraft are capable of gettting there but the pilots may not be. He got about halfway there and then went about 30 degrees to his left and ended up way out in the gulf. Chase planes said he was humped over and didn't respond to them in any way. Good thing he was alone. Now, maybe he had a heart attack or something else....we will never know. Similar to the Payne Stewart accident but Payne was in a pressurized jet with a couple of pilots who were riders.

Sad deal. Was he really flying to and from Texas to pick up a dog? Do people really do this with some regularity?

 

[BigBobBarker]

He probably loved flying for fun. Picking up a dog for a non profit dog rescue gave him a waybfir that to be tax deductible.

 

[purkey]

usage has to be over 50% business to write it off...I doubt he flew 50% of his time to transport dogs. Hate to see people doing great things and have something like this happen, for whatever reason.

 

[gipraw]

Sad deal. Was he really flying to and from Texas to pick up a dog? Do people really do this with some regularity?

Yes. We move dogs all over the country.

 

[WCPoke]

Yes. We move dogs all over the country.

Why? There are millions of people in texas. Why would you fly an airplane to bring a dog to OKC (presumably)? Can they not be adopted in Texas?

 

[gipraw]

Why? There are millions of people in texas. Why would you fly an airplane to bring a dog to OKC (presumably)? Can they not be adopted in Texas?

Any number of reasons. Sometimes people just fall for a specific dog. Sometimes the dogs are special needs, sometimes the rescues are full in one location and not in another.

Half the time I come to OK I have a dog with me I am dropping off somewhere along the route.

 

[Colorado_Poke]

Any number of reasons. Sometimes people just fall for a specific dog. Sometimes the dogs are special needs, sometimes the rescues are full in one location and not in another.

My wife follows a lot on rescues online, so I can attest to your post based on stories she's relayed to me.

 

[purkey]

this particular dog had lost the use of its rear legs, was being brought to okc for some kind of temporary treatment and then will be sent to Las Vegas for therapy. I happened to read an article that had some inside info. Another doc picked up the dog in Georgetown, a doc from okc, and made the trip and brought the dog to okc.

 

[osumark]

My sister knew him from the medical field, he was a great guy. Very sad.