Incident Overview
During climbout from Miami, a cabin pressurization problem was encountered. All crew members donned their oxygen masks, and the cabin altitude stabilized at 20,000 feet while the aircraft was leveled at 33,000 feet.
Medical Emergency
Approximately 40 minutes from the destination, the flight engineer trainee/observer asked the first officer how much longer the flight would take. Moments later, the trainee began to slump down. The flight engineer exchanged masks with him and verified that the oxygen supply was normal.
Emergency Response
An emergency descent was made to 6,000 feet while first aid was administered. An ambulance met the flight at the destination and transported the trainee to a hospital, where he expired later that day. The cause of death was later diagnosed as aeroembolism (by exclusion). The trainee had a clinical history of seizures and loss of consciousness following decompression.
Pressurization Problem
The pressurization problem was reportedly related to a stuck outflow valve.