Editing Uncontrolled decompression (section)

==Decompression injuries==
[[File:US Navy 091006-N-9001B-017 Hospital Corpsmen 2nd Class Kyle Carswell and Daniel Young monitor members of the 2009 class of NASA astronaut candidates for hypoxia in an altitude chamber.jpg|thumb|NASA astronaut candidates being monitored for signs of hypoxia during training in an [[Hypobaric chamber|altitude chamber]]]]
The following physical injuries may be associated with decompression incidents:

*[[Hypoxia (medical)|Hypoxia]] is the most serious  risk associated with decompression, especially as it may go undetected or incapacitate the aircrew.<ref name="AirQuality"/><ref name="pmid1599378">{{cite journal |vauthors=Bason R, Yacavone DW |title=Loss of cabin pressurization in U.S. Naval aircraft: 1969–90 |journal=Aviat Space Environ Med |volume=63 |issue=5 |pages=341–345 |date=May 1992 |pmid=1599378 }}</ref><ref name="pmid3579812">{{cite journal |author=Brooks CJ |title=Loss of cabin pressure in Canadian Forces transport aircraft, 1963–1984 |journal=Aviat Space Environ Med |volume=58 |issue=3 |pages=268–275 |date=March 1987 |pmid=3579812 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theairlinepilots.com/medical/decompressionandhypoxia.htm|title=Cabin Decompression and Hypoxia|author=Mark Wolff|publisher=theairlinepilots.com |access-date=2008-09-01|date=2006-01-06}}</ref>
*[[Barotrauma]]: an inability to equalize pressure in internal air spaces such as the [[middle ear]] or [[gastrointestinal tract]], or more serious injury such as a [[pneumothorax|burst lung]].<ref name="AirQuality"/>
*[[Decompression sickness]].<ref name="AirQuality"/><ref name="pmid1599378"/><ref name="NASA">{{cite journal |author1=Robinson, RR |author2=Dervay, JP |author3=Conkin, J |title=An Evidenced-Based Approach for Estimating Decompression Sickness Risk in Aircraft Operations |journal=NASA STI Report Series |volume=NASA/TM—1999–209374 |url=http://ston.jsc.nasa.gov/collections/TRS/_techrep/TM-1999-209374.pdf |access-date=2008-09-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030231947/http://ston.jsc.nasa.gov/collections/TRS/_techrep/TM-1999-209374.pdf |archive-date=2008-10-30 }}</ref><ref name=UHMSabstract>{{cite journal |author=Powell, MR |year=2002 |journal=Undersea Hyperb. Med. |volume=Supplement |issue=abstract |title=Decompression limits in commercial aircraft cabins with forced descent |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/1181 |access-date=2008-09-01 |archive-date=2011-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811173704/http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/1181 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>
*[[Altitude sickness]].
*[[Frostbite]] or [[hypothermia]] from exposure to [[Troposphere#Temperature|freezing cold air]] at high altitude.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Daidzic|first1=Nihad E.|last2=Simones|first2=Matthew P.|date=March{{ndash}}April 2010|title=Aircraft Decompression with Installed Cockpit Security Door |url=https://doi.org/10.2514/1.41953|journal=Journal of Aircraft|volume=47|issue=2|pages=490–504|doi=10.2514/1.41953|quote=<!-- page 490, col. 2-->[A]t 40,000 ft (12,200 m), the [[International Standard Atmosphere]] (ISA) pressure is only about 18.8 kPa (2.73 psi), and the air temperatures are about '''&minus;56.5{{nbsp}}°C (217{{nbsp}}K)'''. The [[Boiling point|boiling temperature]] of water at this atmospheric pressure is about''' &minus;59{{nbsp}}°C (332{{nbsp}}K)'''. Above 63,000 ft or 19,200 m ([[Armstrong limit|Armstrong line]]), the ISA environmental pressure drops below 6.3 kPa (0.91 psi) and the boiling temperature of water reaches the normal human body temperature (about 37 C). Any prolonged exposure to such an environment could lead to [[ebullism]], anoxia, and ultimate death, after several minutes. These are indeed very hostile conditions for human life. 
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* [[Physical trauma]] caused by the violence of explosive decompression, which can turn people and loose objects into projectiles.
At least two confirmed cases have been documented of a person being blown through an airplane passenger window. The first [[National Airlines Flight 27|occurred in 1973]] when debris from an [[Turbine engine failure|engine failure]] struck a window roughly midway in the fuselage. Despite efforts to pull the passenger back into the airplane, the occupant was forced entirely through the cabin window.<ref name="auto2">{{cite web|last=Mondout |first=Patrick |title=Curious Crew Nearly Crashes DC-10 |url=http://www.super70s.com/Super70s/Tech/Aviation/Disasters/73-11-03%28National%29.asp |access-date=2010-11-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408023924/http://www.super70s.com:80/super70s/tech/aviation/disasters/73-11-03(National).asp |archive-date=2011-04-08 }}</ref> The passenger's skeletal remains were eventually found by a construction crew, and were positively identified two years later.<ref name="auto1">{{cite news |last=Harden |first=Paul |title=Aircraft Down |url=http://www.dchieftain.com/news/aircraft-down/article_23a78c5b-7d34-5684-89ee-0f0a5de0c513.html |access-date=2018-10-24 |newspaper=El Defensor Chieftain |date=2010-06-05 |archive-date=2019-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017132530/http://www.dchieftain.com/news/aircraft-down/article_23a78c5b-7d34-5684-89ee-0f0a5de0c513.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The second incident occurred on April 17, 2018, when a woman on [[Southwest Airlines Flight 1380]] was partially blown through an airplane passenger window that had broken from a similar engine failure. Although the other passengers were able to pull her back inside, she later died from her injuries.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/southwest-airlines-planes-engine-explodes-1-passenger-dead/|title=Southwest Airlines plane's engine explodes; 1 passenger dead|first=Kathleen|last=Joyce|website=[[Fox News]]|date=April 17, 2018}}</ref><ref name="nbcphiladelphia.com1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/national-international/airplane-makes-emergency-landing-at-philadelphia-international-airport/52411/|title=Woman Partially Sucked Out of Jet When Window Breaks Mid-Flight; Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Philadelphia|first1=Vince|last1=Lattanzio|first2=Alicia Victoria|last2=Lozano|first3=Denise|last3=Nakano|first4=Brian X.|last4=McCrone • •|date=17 April 2018 }}</ref><ref name="NYT on passenger">{{cite news|last1=Stack|first1=Liam|last2=Stevens|first2=Matt|title=A Southwest Airlines Engine Explodes, Killing a Passenger|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/us/southwest-airlines-explosion.html|access-date=April 18, 2018|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 17, 2018}}</ref> In both incidents, the plane landed safely with the sole fatality being the person seated next to the window involved.

According to [[NASA]] scientist [[Geoffrey A. Landis]], the effect depends on the size of the hole, which can be expanded by debris that is blown through it; "it would take about 100 seconds for pressure to equalise through a roughly {{convert|30.0|cm|in|abbr=on}} hole in the fuselage of a Boeing 747." Anyone blocking the hole would have half a ton of force pushing them towards it, but this force reduces rapidly with distance from the hole.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/how-could-a-passenger-get-sucked-out-of-a-plane-and-has-it-happened-before/news-story/ce94c6632b6f485fbccb05dd64b9bbee|title=How could a passenger get sucked out of a plane – and has it happened before?|work=www.news.com.au|author=Lauren McMah|date=April 18, 2018|access-date=April 18, 2018}}</ref>